The scripture Colossians 3:23-24 says: ‘And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ’. This may seem simple, but not that easy in practice.

On Sunday 2nd August, 2020, I set the alarm earlier than my usual Sunday ‘wake-up time’ (7AM). I had planned to finish a task before setting off to church. As the alarm rang at 5:30AM, I woke up; the neighbourhood was quiet, the room was cool and I could hear the rushing wind causing the curtains to sway and rustle. This was the perfect setting for some good sleep. I sat at the edge of my bed in a dilemma “do I sleep a little more or pick myself up from bed? I could not resist the temptation any further, “An extra 30 minutes would not delay my schedule!” I thought to myself as I coiled into bed. I was wrong!

The early morning sunshine woke me up, I had overslept and missed my scheduled task. I did feel very well rested though. I had to hurriedly prepare for the divine service as I was running against time. On getting there, I noticed the chapel and its environs had been neatly organized and cleaned, despite the previous night’s strong winds.

Almost immediately, my ‘battle’ at dawn came to mind. I began to reflect on how our fellow brothers and sisters denied themselves the comfort of their beds to prepare the chapel for divine service; the church premise has a sizeable compound and sitting capacity, yet it was sparkling clean. “How did they wake up so early in this cosy weather? What time did they get here? How did they manage to clean-off all the dust within a short time?” The more I thought, the more I appreciated Colossians 3:23-24.

These handful of members will spend hours every Sunday morning to ensure the church was edifying for a divine service. I thought to myself, “These brothers and sisters truly are disciplined and understand their service”. Some are mothers, who would go back home and prepare their families to attend divine service in good time. Where I failed to care for myself, others sacrificed to make me feel comfortable and prepared.

There are many more who make enormous sacrifices in combining work, family and church to ensure the spiritual and physical wellbeing of members. Our ministers, choristers, Sunday School teachers and orchestra are just the ones we see; there are also many whose sacrifices may not readily noticeable, but deeply felt in their absence. To all we say THANK YOU, “AYEKOO”! Your sacrifices and labour of love ministered to the saints is not forgotten by God or the congregation.