Col 2:6-15 / Lk 6:12-19
Have you ever imagined what it must have been like to be one of those twelve apostles called by Jesus to be his followers. Imagine spending three years, night and day, with Jesus himself, and being close enough to watch him respond to every kind of challenge, to watch him get tired and fall asleep, to watch him laugh and play with little children, and to watch him stay so closely connected to the Father. But best of all, imagine the thrill of knowing that Jesus had picked and chosen YOU to carry on his work. What an honor! What a trust! If only you'd been there.
Well, of course, you weren't. But Jesus is giving each one of us the same invitation that he gave to those original apostles: "Come, follow in my footsteps, and do the work that I do." And what exactly is Jesus' work? Reconciliation. Bringing people together into friendship with God and with one another, and helping to take away everything that stands in the way of that friendship.
Communion with God and his people is the ultimate purpose and joy of our lives, and building that communion is the task of every one of us every day. So there's the question for the day: What is your role in reconciling people with God and with one another? As we work to build communion, are you part of the problem or part of the solution? With your particular gifts, where could you make the best contribution to building up God's family?
Good questions for us all. So be sure to listen to the answers.