Ordinary Time 
Pause
Inhale: God calls me into connection.
Exhale: I am surely not alone.
Listen
You have this faith and love because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. You previously heard about this hope through the true message, the good news, which has come to you. This message has been bearing fruit and growing among you since the day you heard and truly understood God’s grace, in the same way that it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world. You learned it from Epaphras, who is the fellow slave we love and Christ’s faithful minister for your sake. He informed us of your love in the Spirit.
Colossians 1:5-8
Think
Isn’t it incredible that in all the glory and power and mystery that God holds, God still uses us – ordinary people – to further the Kingdom? If you think about your own faith journey… more likely than not it was people or a person who brought you into the community of faith. We are drawn to the living God through the love and compassion of other people. Life in community stirs up faith among and in us.
This guy Epaphras seemed to do just that for the people in Colossae. He taught them, showed them really, what God’s grace was. He lived among them, showing them what a life a faith looked like in a way that invited them in; he drew others towards community and towards God.
Rather than written scripture alone or God speaking to the people directly through words and miraculous signs, God uses flesh and blood people. Knowing fully our brokenness, our lack of follow-through, selfishness, and inarticulate way with words… God still bets on us, on the people. It’s just incredible.
Sara Hunt-Felke
Pray
God of all power and might, may I have the same faith in myself as you have in me.
You desire to use me to build your Kingdom and to embrace the community around me.
Help me to open myself to be used by you.
Amen.
Go
In the midst of this great BIG world, may you be assured that you are seen.
You matter.
In the great big crowd, you are not insignificant but instead you are an integral part of the beautiful mosaic.
You are called to embrace the community around you.
The community is ready for YOU.
