Faithful Amidst Betrayal (Christ our Ultimate Hope)

The Power of Showing Up

Daily Devotional The Power of Showing Up Read Job 2:11-13 A friend once told me that when he lost his mother, he stood completely alone. He looked out to his friends, his OBs and OGs. No one stood with him. So he mourned alone. On the burial day, a few friends traveled from far, but they could only stay a few minutes before rushing back to the long journey home. That kind of loneliness cuts deep. And the truth is, many of us face those moments with no one beside us. “Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.” Job 2:13 NIV Scripture gives us a better picture of friendship. When Job lost everything - his children, his wealth, his health - his friends heard the news and came. “They sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great” Job 2:13. Notice what they did first: They showed up. They sat. They stayed silent. Before they ever tried to explain his pain, they entered it with him. That is the ministry of presence. Friendship is not proven by perfect words. It’s proven by physical presence. Sometimes your friend doesn’t need a sermon. They need your shoulder. They don’t need solutions. They need your seat beside them. Let us choose to stand with our friends in every season. Sickness, loss, celebration, struggle. Just show up. Because sometimes, your presence preaches louder than your words. Prayer Lord, You command us to mourn with those who mourn. Give me a heart that shows up. Let my presence be a comfort to my friends in every season of their life. In Christ’s name, Amen. By Rev Joshua Ssali Ssalongo

The Ministry of Presence

Daily Devotional The Ministry of Presence Read Exodus 33:1-14 If you ask people what mattered most during their darkest or brightest moments - sickness, loss, pain, even celebration - the answer is almost always the same: “The people who stood with me.” Gifts arrive by delivery. But healing, comfort, and joy multiply when someone takes time to physically come. Support helps. Presence transforms. “The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14 NIV When God gave Moses the assignment to take His people to the Promised Land, Moses’ concern wasn’t the journey ahead. It was companionship. He was about to lead a stiff-necked people, so his deepest cry was for assurance: “Lord, are You with me?” Because mission without presence is unbearable. As we open God’s Word this week, we’ll focus on the Ministry of Presence. We shall ask: How do we stand with our people - not just in words, but physically - through every changing scene of life? Please note: People remember who came, not just what was sent. Join in as we learn together this week though. Prayer Father, You promised, “My presence will go with you.” Now make us people who go with others. Teach us to give time, to sit with, and to stand beside our friends in their seasons. Make our presence reflect Yours. In Christ’s name, Amen. By Rev Joshua Ssali Ssalongo

Grow Children into Maturity II

A message shared on the 11th of June during an Online Lunch Hour Service under the theme Saved, Growing and Maturing.

Grow Children into Maturity

A message shared on the 11th of June during an Online Lunch Hour Service under the theme Saved, Growing and Maturing.

Exploring the Depth of Commitment: Reflections on Service and Faith of the Uganda Martyrs

Daily Devotional Exploring the Depth of Commitment: Reflections on Service and Faith of the Uganda Martyrs Read John 15:20-21 Recently, I attended a Rotary Presidential Installation in one of the clubs in Kampala. The district governor, GK, made a remark that has stayed with me: “It is one thing to be a member of a Rotary club, and another thing to be a Rotarian.” That’s a big statement. It made me ask: What is the level of our commitment to the things we join? Do we commit because of friends? Because of what we expect to gain? Or because we truly believe in the core values and statement of faith of the movement we’ve signed up for? Today, as we remember the Uganda Martyrs, we see commitment taken to its fullest. They gave their lives, even to death by fire. And the song says they were singing as they burned. That wasn’t casual membership. That was radical commitment. They chose to follow Jesus Christ unto death. Jesus warned His disciples about this cost. In John 15:20-21 He said: “Remember what I told you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.” Persecution is not simple. But it produces something deep. Paul, in Romans 5:3-5, reminds us: “Suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.” The Martyrs were full of life, yet they gave their lives fully to the Lord. That’s why we celebrate them today. But the question for us is: What is your commitment? May we not commit just because of people, but because we fully understand the reason and purpose for joining God’s great movement. Prayer Lord, as we remember the Uganda Martyrs who gave their lives for the hope of glory in Christ, teach us to make unwavering commitments. Help us to be faithful in everything we choose on earth, but most of all, to love You with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. In Jesus’ name, Amen. By Rev Joshua Ssali Ssalongo