In Colossians 4:17 Paul reminds Archippus, whom he called a fellow 'fellow soldier' in Philemon 1:2, to “...Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it.” This admonition to be sure to fulfill the ministry that the Lord gives us should be taken seriously by every true believer. We have all been given a ministry. In the times Paul wrote to the churches, everyone who believed and had been baptized, receiving the holy Spirit by the laying on of hands were rightly called ministers.
We each have the same calling, although not all the same gifts. Ephesians 4:1-3 tells us to walk worthy of the vocation, or calling, we have received. “With all lowliness, meekness, with long-suffering,forbearing one another with love; Endeavoring to keep the unity in the spirit with the bond of peace.” Luke records Paul's words in Acts 20: that his life means nothing to him except that he uses it to his course with joy, and to complete the ministry which he received from the Lord Jesus, teaching and testifying of the gospel of the grace of God. By his life Paul showed the importance of walking in the Gospel of Jesus and trusting God to take him to what He wanted him to do. It didn't matter if he was in prison, shipwrecked, or traveling. That is our calling. To become the children of God, reflecting God. To live according to the Gospel and, as in 2 Timothy 4:7, to fight the good fight, finish the course (the race) and keep the faith. This can only happen when you follow what the Word of God says to do, not what humans think He says to do.
We have to pay attention that we are serving our Lord, reflect upon it continually and allow Him to walk with us and guide us in how we can carry it out. Unless we are purposely engaged in living faith, we will not be able to accomplish His will for us. Being lax or neglectful of the gift we have been given from Jesus Christ our Lord is not an option!
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