Day 10

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Day 10
Tuesday, December 7

“Every time I think of you, I thank my God. And whenever I mention you in my prayers, it makes me happy. This is because you have taken part with me in spreading the good news from the first day you heard about it. Good s the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain that he won’t stop before it is completed on the day that Christ Jesus returns.”

Philippians 1:3-6

Reflection
Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians during an extremely difficult time for the church. The Emperor Nero was hosting events where he fed Christian Jews to the lions or set them on fire at the stake. Paul was ecstatic about how the Philippians excelled at spreading the good news of Jesus since they were risking such a painful death in doing so. It is a testament to the power of God’s love and influence over us that Paul was certain they would continue to do so until death.
I think this passage of scripture should inspire us to spread the good news  of Jesus Christ even when life gives us unfair challenges or adversity. This could seem like a daunting commitment at times, but verse 6 says that the process is not complete until Jesus returns. We have the rest of our lives to improve upon what is probably going to be a messy process of losing and regaining faith in God, then gathering strength to share that with others.

Prayer
God, give us strength to spread the awesome news of your truth and your future return to earth. Whether it is severe depression/anxiety, being part of a marginalized community, recovering from a job loss, or an ugly divorce, I pray we make it through these times by talking about your message with others. Amen.


Reflection by Bryan Luettgen