Living on Mission-Thoughts from Swaziland

Colossians 1:6

All over the world the gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all truth.

Colossians 1:9 …..we have not stop praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.


As I listen to the chirping of birds, I sit and look around on this beautiful African morning. I notice a small fruit tree along with many other exotic plants and wildlife. This small fruit tree rests in the sun bursting with the hope of fresh fruit. As I sit and look at this tree, I think of Colossians 1:6---I think about the gospel bearing fruit and bursting forth fresh new hope all over the world. Here, several thousands of miles away from home; the gospel is bearing fruit and growing. I think about how I am connected with this eternal story of hope in the past and into the future. I think of Epaphras who first shared this fruit bearing gospel to the people of Colossae some 2, 000 years ago. I think of the gratitude I have for him as the gospel shared their burst forth a fruitful hope that has continued to grow and spread to this very moment as I sit on African soil. I think about the work of those sharing the gospel to the people here in Swaziland and their connection with Epaphras. The gospel is bearing fruit all around the world and we are invited this day to join in with sharing this hope and experience it this day-- bursting forth the new fruit of hope in our own life. As Paul writes in Colossians 1:9 I do pray this day (morning) for spiritual wisdom and understanding as we seek to find ways to join in with the unfolding of God’s mission and kingdom here on Earth. May we this day awaken ourselves to the wisdom and understanding offered by God’s grace to the ways in which we can join in with this eternal story of the gospel--the fruit bearing hope of a bright new morn.