Welcome to today's encouragement from the Our Daily Bread Devotional.

I'm Kirsten Holmberg, and I titled today's reading, Virtual Presence.

As the novel coronavirus marched across the globe, health experts advised increased physical distance between people

as a means to slow the spread. Many countries asked their citizens to self-quarantine or shelter in

place. Organizations sent employees home to work remotely if they could, while others suffered

a financially debilitating loss of

employment. Like others, I participated in church and small group meetings through digital platforms.

As a world, we practiced new forms of togetherness despite being physically disconnected.

It isn't just the Internet that lets us maintain a sense of connection.

We connect to one another as members of the body of Christ through the Spirit.

Paul expressed this notion centuries ago in his letter to the Colossians.

Though he hadn't personally founded their church,

he cared deeply for them and their faith. And even though Paul couldn't be with them in person,

he reminded them that he was present with them in spirit. We can't always be with those we love,

for financial, health, or other practical reasons,

and technology can help fill that gap. Yet any form of virtual connection pales in comparison

to the togetherness we can experience as fellow members of the body of Christ. In such moments, we can, like Paul, rejoice in

one another's firmness of faith, and through prayer, encourage each other to fully know the mystery

of God, namely Christ.

Today's Our Daily Bread Devotional Scripture reading is from Colossians,

Chapter 2, verses 1 through 5.

I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea,

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