Your Ministry. Colossians 4:17 God has not left us here simply to travel home to heaven easily. There are opportunities around us that He expects us to use fully in His kingdom's work. We serve Him when we serve others and can bring them the Word of the Lord or some clear biblical truth so they can learn during their lifetime what truly matters in the eyes of eternity. When life ends for them and us, we will look back and see many ways God blessed us—often in ways we didn’t realize were blessings at the time.
Some work we do for the Lord isn't long by nature. It may temporarily involve a lot of opposition, danger, and challenge. During these times, we become more aware of God's presence because of what we can see and imagine from our human perspective. When situations are limited in scope, there's no room for us to do things our way because quick decisions are necessary. No one else nearby can answer all our questions, and we can't wait to act any longer. We trust the Lord alone and, through faith, apply the biblical lessons we've learned over the past years as part of God’s family; that task is soon finished, and like the disciples, we welcome a bit of rest.
There are some things we are called to do for our entire lives. Day after day, that ministry remains, often extending late into the night as we meet the demands of the work God entrusted to us. Sometimes, it may become tedious, and we cannot see the results. If we are not careful, we might wonder why God gave us this work without a clear ending. The Master knows best who should do this work, who can sustain it without complaint, and who does it well. Our Lord understands how we are suited to carry out our ministry right where we are and what the ultimate outcome will be. I must persevere until it is fully completed, even if this responsibility lasts a lifetime or until He gives me another one.
Sometimes, we are assigned work for God, but we find it tedious, time-consuming, difficult, and unrewarding. However, any ministry that God gives us to fulfill, like Archippus had, must be done to the best of our ability and carried through to completion. The ministry of speech may feel different to each believer. Indeed, some are called to preach and teach, so words are part of their work. But greetings sent in written or spoken words to others can provide great encouragement and comfort. In one way or another, we can all use our spiritually motivated words to bless others.
In all things—whether spoken, written, or done—when done in the name of the Lord, the key is that He will have the preeminent place, as befits the Supreme Sovereign of the universe, both now and in the future, including in the gatherings of His people today.