Devotional Guide for Thursday, October 26

Ephesians 6:5-9

Reflect
It might be easy to pass over this section of text as we live in a day where slavery is supposed to be illegal. What was normal or accepted in Paul’s day was not the slavery of the 19th century in North America. Slavery was an assumed structure of their society. The question then becomes, “What structures of our day do we just assume to be necessary for our daily lives?”

Paul is trying to drive home the message that all of us as we work, live, interact with others is to be as if it is a direct encounter with Jesus Christ. No relation or interaction with someone else is simply a transactional experience, it is a context for relating to Jesus.

Where this becomes personal is when we stop to think about the way we interact with people. Do we view some of them as being more important than others? Do we try to gain acceptance and approval because they could offer us something? Do we expect more from others because they work in the service industry?
Paul is saying we need to remember we all are accountable to God and the way we treat others reflects our relationship to God.

Pastor Terry

Pray for the NAB Conference
The North American Baptist Conference is a family of missionaries. We believe every follower of Jesus is to be a missionary, whether it’s in churches and neighbourhoods in Canada and the US or on mission fields scattered around the world. We want to transform communities—shaping leaders, sending missionaries, and equipping disciples as signs, servants, and foretastes of the Kingdom of God in North America and around the world. Join us in praying for the exciting things we anticipate God will be doing in and through our ministry in the next year.