As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:1-6 (NIV)
Our world seems to have changed dramatically over the past couple of weeks. Two Sundays ago we were at church camp, living in community as we shared meals, activities and Bible study together in a communal space. Now, suddenly, we are restricted to our homes, isolated in our family units, seemingly cut off from each other.
But there is no isolation in Christ. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul – under house arrest himself in Rome – reminds us that we are all members of one body. No matter how physically separated we are, however far away we might feel from loved ones, we have a bond between us, a unity, that cannot be restricted or reduced or in any way limited by these current circumstances. For we are all children of God, bought by the blood of Christ.
Wherever we are, whatever happens over the next few weeks, we can love each other, pray for each other, show concern for one another. Using modern technology (which we thank God for!), we can easily continue to communicate, share support and resources, encourage and build one another up. This 'break' from our normal lives can an opportunity and an incentive for us to really work at our relationships with each other, making "every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit".
Above all, we are reminded of the hope we have in Christ: of life everlasting with our Heavenly Father, who is over all and through all and in all – whatever circumstances we find ourselves in.
The prayer (from 2 Corinthians 13:14) that we spoke at camp is just as relevant now as it was then. Let it be our prayer this week:
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
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