Going It (Almost) Alone

As Paul’s letter to the Colossians winds down, I admit that I might be “reaching” from time to time in Paul’s words of greeting and goodbye to find a devotional thought. But there was something that stuck out to me in verses 10-11.  Here they are: ”¹⁰ Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), ¹¹ and Jesus who is called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me.”  Paul wrote this letter to the Colossians while he was in prison.  Paul mentions that there are only a few people “of the circumcision” who are with him. The phrase “of the circumcision” would imply that they were Jewish men who converted to follow Jesus.   I often magnify the importance of community when following Jesus but what if you have to go it alone; or almost alone?  I think there are times when this happens to us. People don’t understand or people who once understood have moved to a different place in their lives and are no longer supportive and like Paul, you are alone…or almost alone.  I hope that you will not give up.  I hope that you will see that God is still the same as He has always been.  You can count on Him to be with you.  As Paul wrote in Hebrews 13:5: “He will never leave you or forsake you”.   I can’t promise that someone will come back to the faith or that he/she will be your partner again but I can promise you that God has not left you and He is enough.