December 2019

Merry Christmas from Palo Alto!

Our meditation as a ministry recently has been on Colossians 3:1-4:

What has struck me is that Paul does not say, “Set your mind on ‘the Thing’ above (namely God), not on things that are on earth.” Had he said that, he would be distinguishing between Creator and creation (an admittedly important distinction). But to read the passage this way would be overly simplistic, in part because “the things that are above” which Paul mentions are plural. Therefore, “the things that are above” must include more than God alone.

Amazingly, whatever else Paul may be referring to, the only “things that are above” which he implicitly mentions are we ourselves! “Your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1) The “you” which you ought to contemplate and meditate upon is not the present and outwardly visible “you,” with all your frailties and failings. Rather, Paul exhorts us to long for and dream about who we will one day be, with Christ, when Christ is revealed in all his glory. And by implication, we ought to consider other members of the body of Christ—in our families, churches, and wider circles—in the same way.

This Christmas, as we celebrate the Savior who became like us, let us remember that he did so in order to make us like him. He will one day transform our body—and the body every single member of his church—to be like his glorious body! (Philippians 4:21) He is our great hope.

Please pray for our community of believers, that we will see ourselves and one another in light of who Christ is and who he is making us to be. In our journey along that path, please pray:

For all our students - as they visit family, friends, and home churches this Christmas break, that they will encourage and be encouraged in Christ, that Christ will guard them from sin and harm, and that Christ will refresh and refocus them.

For our seniors - some of whom have opportunities lined up for after graduation, some of whom don’t—that they will all consider their lives which are "hidden with Christ in God” as far more significant than “the things that are on earth,” and that God will make their paths straight.

For our underclassmen - that they will continue to mature in their love for Christ and for those around them, and in their stewardship of all that God has given them.

We are grateful for your partnership in the “good news of great joy that will be for all the people”! (Luke 2:10)

Warmly, in Christ,

Justin Woyak
Ministry Fellow
Christian Union Caritas

Please note: if you would like to receive regular updates on how to pray for Christian Union's work, please email prayer@christianunion.org.