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The Mature Pace of Life
Brian Mashburn
October 1, 2017
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The Mature Pace of Life
Paul is the minister who wrote the book of Colossians, but I've been a bit taken by another minister, one of whom Paul speaks of in the book of Colossians. His name is Epaphras, and while we know only a little about him, we know that he was the minister to the Christians in the city of Colossi, and he was actually one of them.
In a very few words, Paul tells us much of Epaphras by revealing what he has regularly overheard Epaphras say in his prayers. "He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured." (Col 4:12)
Like Epaphras, I as your minister want these same things, and pray for them often. I want all of you to stand firm, and not just anywhere, but in the will of God. Not just some of it, but in all of it. I want you spiritually mature and maturing. I want you resting in the full confidence that the gospel provides for those who believe it.
And I'm not alone. I stand as just one in a whole community of ministers and elders who labor in prayer for these same things.
The alternative? We see it (and fall prey to it ourselves) too often. You stand haphazardly in all the will of our culture, spiritually undeveloped and unpracticed, immature, and as a result, full of self-doubt, insecurity, and instability.
Today I want to expose one of the most heinous, and socially acceptable, villains that stand between you and what we and Epaphras pray for: busy-ness.
To grow spiritually mature, to really take any step towards it at all, it requires space and time and margin. These days, to have a mature pace of life requires outright crazy-rebellion against crazy-busyness. Few will do this, because we are so convinced it is impossible or impractical. But we, this year, must. Or we won't be taking any steps towards spiritual maturity.