Devotions for a Busy Business Person, no. 246 – Friends

This morning Terri and I finished Romans in our devotions. Afterwards, we drove back through the beautiful, austere white-snowed aspen-greyed countryside from Withrow Gospel Mission where we were part of a team presenting on marriage (Thank you Withrow for a great night!).

As we arrived back in Edmonton, we were greeted by that most wondrous phenomenon of Alberta’s weather—warm sun, icy cold air, a brilliant blue sky, and crisp white snow.

And as I write this devotion, the sun is reflecting brilliantly off the south wall from our neighbour’s Gwen’s and Graham’s house through my north window. 

Which gets me to the point of this devotional.

Sometimes we think of St. Paul as such a titan of the gospel (strange to use a Greek god as a descriptor of Paul), that he stood alone. Romans 16 puts paid to that notion. Paul names 37 fellow workers, some directly by name and some by association, who laboured with him. 

37 friends. 37 people who sweated, shared bread, held Paul accountable, laughed, cried, evangelised. We saw this at Withrow, as the community came together to put on an evening to celebrate married couples. 

And I have seen that in you. Many of you have co-laboured with me. You have been the blue-skied, white-snowed, brilliant-sun reflection of Christ to me. Right now, I am in a space of wondrous and transcendent awe of the Son, warmed by His rays. I often see His light reflected off you all, right into my eyes, and I am cheered by it. When I am around you, I need my shades on.

So be intentional about building that team around you like Withrow Gospel Mission does and Paul did. I cannot promise continued blues skies and sun; I can guarantee you will never be alone in your enterprise.

“Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus… Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. Romans 16:3,6.

Prayer

Hey God, thanks for the wondrous transcendence of the Son and his reflection in Your people.