“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7
Living your life in Christ; doing things for Him because you desire to out of love and not because you have to. Paul encourages us to not live for Jesus for an hour on the Sabbath but throughout the entire day, every day until our days are no more.
The congregation members in the attached photo are worshipping at Bon Berger (Good Shepherd) in Caredeux, my home congregation while living in Haiti, and they generally spent three to four hours in the Sanctuary on the Sabbath; Bible study started at 8, worship at 9 and fellowship time at 11:30. I never saw them glancing at their watches or a clock on the wall wondering to themselves “how much longer will this service last?” Parking was never an issue as nearly all of these people walked to church. Too often the evil foe squeezes our patience glands when enjoying time with our Heavenly Father and entices us to get back into this fallen world, his fallen world, and start ‘living it up’ again; it’s our life and we are in control of it. I close with the hymn ‘Let us ever walk with Jesus’ that was written by Sigismund von Birken in 1653. May these words of wisdom bring your life of service encouragement.
“Let us ever walk with Jesus, follow His example pure, flee the world, which would deceive us and to sin our souls allure. Ever in His footsteps treading, body here, yet soul above, full of faith and hope and love, let us do the Father's bidding. Faithful Lord, abide with me; Savior, lead, I follow Thee. Let us suffer here with Jesus, to His image, e'er conform; Heaven's glory soon will please us, sunshine follow on the storm. Though we sow in tears of sorrow, we shall reap with heavenly joy; and the fears that now annoy shall be laughter on the morrow. Christ, I suffer here with Thee; there, oh, share Thy joy with me! Let us also die with Jesus. His death from the second death, from our soul's destruction, frees us, quickens us with life's glad breath. Let us mortify, while living, flesh and blood and die to sin; and the grave that shuts us in shall but prove the gate to heaven. Jesus, here I die to Thee there to live eternally. Let us gladly live with Jesus; since He's risen from the dead, death and grave must soon release us. Jesus, Thou art now our Head, we are truly Thine own members; where Thou livest, there live we. Take and own us constantly, faithful Friend, as Thy dear brethren. Jesus, here I live to Thee, also there eternally.”
Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you…Jay