Week One
December 3, 2021
Meeting People Where We/They Are
Philippians 1:18b-26
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance. It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way, but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. Philippians 18b-21
Sometimes circumstances can leave us feeling stuck. These days we don’t have to look far to experience fear, dismay, anger, sorrow. In our communities, across the nation, on the far side of the globe, and perhaps in our own homes, opportunities for distress abound. Our present realities press in on us, and we can be left feeling numb, and without focus.
Under house arrest and chained to a guard for the better part of two years, the Apostle Paul faced trying circumstances. Circumstances that most of us, fortunately, will never experience. I can hardly imagine a less inspiring environment from which to proclaim the message of Christ. It would have been easy for Paul to give up and accept his confinement as the end of his ministry. After all, he didn’t even know if he would live or die.
Instead, Paul was consumed by passion and a determination to continue to boldly proclaim the gospel no matter his personal outcome. You’ve heard of meeting people where they are? Paul took the phrase to the extreme and continued to build up and to reassure and rejoice with the believers in Philippi from his place of incarceration. He went as far as to say that whether he lived or died, he couldn’t lose. Wow.
Holy One, help us to meet people where they are no matter where we happen to be. Remind us that in times of virtual distancing and limited face-to-face interaction, your desires for our lives remain steady. Give us the courage to face all circumstances, even those that produce suffering, as opportunities to make a difference in the world each day.
Sharon Russ
Executive Assistant to Advancement and Donor Relations Specialist
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