Colossians 1:7-8
“You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit”
God has placed inside of each one of us with a gift and ability that is different from another. This gift is meant to be shared to others for the building up of a strong body so as we may not lack anything as a whole. We need each other, and through sharing can we be able to know what a friend is going through and be of help.
Apostle Paul never reached this great province of Colossians were a spirit filled and God-fearing church was born. The people in Colossians where gentiles who believed in the gospel of grace as preached to them by Epaphras. The church in Colossians was growing and bearing fruits just like other churches but still Epaphras reached out to Paul and testified to him about these people. He (Epaphras) told us of your love in the Spirit, after these sharing started to pray for them and writing to hem great things concerning the faith they had believed. The people of Colossians were filled with love, the love towards one another and the love for the saints all over the world. This is a heart which not many had, but they had this grace. This grace upon them was the reason for that made Paul to go beyond himself and choose to pray and right to them.
Most of the times, we share our struggles which is not bad. What moved Paul to write and pray for these people wasn’t their struggles, rather what they were doing. Colossians believed in God and was evident through their love for God’s people. What they hold in hand made enabled God to us it and address these people. Jesus asked his disciples after holding a seminar for three days, what do you have to feed the people who have gathered here. He used what they had, though it was small and not enough. He used it to solve the big problem they had, people needed food. What is that little small thing you have? What is that you believe for though you don’t have enough supplies? What is the virtue that you hold despite all challenges? What we have is a point of contact to receive help. These people had faith and love and once it was shared Apostle Paul didn’t hold back but moved to help them.
Paul addresses a lot of challenges and struggles in his letter so as to help this community stand in the Lord. His letter was full of answer, encouragement and support for them as they walk their new life in Christ. Fully understanding Christ and what His coming to the earth, living and accession to Heaven means to us believers. Paul shared on different matter to the Colossians but this was due to what was shared to him first by Epaphras.
Epaphras was the pastor of this church but he didn’t put everything under himself. By understanding the grace that was on Paul especially to the Gentiles, he tapped in to that grace. It’s proudness that makes us not appreciate the grace others have. Only through humbleness can we grow together effectively. As leaders not everything we can solve ourselves. We need to open our arms and receive the grace from others so that they can bless what we have. The body of Christ is such designed that it cannot go by the legs only. Each member is important and has a specific purpose designed for it to perform.