The Hope of Glory

This week Dan and I have sat through our denomination's National Council meetings. This takes place in various locations around the country every two years. This year, they gave the option of being able to participate online due to the pandemic. And so we opted to go that route. They were very long days of being online, but I'm thankful we were given that opportunity.

I always find it very encouraging because it is a wonderful reminder and re-stirring of the initial call God placed on my life. It's easy to forget that at times, especially as we get bogged down in the day to day details of life and ministry. 

For myself, this was an especially meaningful time because it's been such a rough year for me. I have allowed depression, negativity, loneliness, and anxiety to take over. And to be honest, I've put expectations on myself and my ministry that were outrageously unrealistic. And because they were unrealistic it just added to the feelings of discouragement.

I've kind of forgotten that my ministry isn't about me pushing and making something happen. God has planted Dan and I here in this city for this time. My job is to stay rooted in Him, grow in Him, dig deeper down into the soil where He planted us, and allow Him to do the work through me. 

As I read in Colossians this morning, these verses leapt out at me. 

Colossians 1:21-23a ~ 

Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds as expressed in your evil actions. But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through his death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before him—if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard.

It was a reminder to stay grounded. To stay unwavering and unweakened by the hopelessness going on around me. I have the hope of Christ living in me and my responsibility is to live my life in such a way that I present that hope to others. 

That's my ministry. Not fancy programs, not huge numbers, not anything that needs recognition. Just living out my life on a daily basis and bringing the hope of Jesus Christ to those around me.

Christ will present all of us who come to faith in Him as holy, faultless and blameless before the Father IF we are not pulled away from that hope. Our roots must remain grounded in the truth of Christ. 

He and He alone is our hope of glory.