Colossians 3:16-17

Colossians 3:16-17

Let the word of God abundantly dwell in you all: while teaching in all wisdom, while warning each other regarding consequences, while singing spiritual psalms, hymns, and songs in your heart in thankfulness to God.  And everything that you all should do in word or deed – do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, while giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul gives us a hint of the power of God: His Word.  Of course, we know from John’s teaching that the early church understood that the Word of God was Jesus Christ incarnate.  When we have God’s Word dwelling abundantly within us we can teach in wisdom.  When God’s Word is dwelling within us abundantly, we can warn each other about potential consequences to our actions.  If we do not have the power of God’s Word behind us, then we do those things on our own ability and through our own limited perspective.  We have so much more power when we act through the Word that dwells abundantly within us than when we act on our own.

Do you live out of the abundant Word?  How is this present in your life?

Second Thought:

Paul also reminds us to be thankful.  The truth is that we do not deserve to be where we are.  We deserve to live in the consequences of sin.  We do not deserve to have the Word of God near us – much less abundantly near us!  Yet we find ourselves in a place that we do not deserve.  We find ourselves in grace.  We find ourselves able to act outside of our own power and act within the power of Christ.  Why shouldn’t we be thankful?

Where in your life is it evident that you live out the thankfulness within you?  where can you learn to be more thankful?

Third Thought:

We have a saying in the church: in Him and through Him.  We are do live in Christ and we are to live through Him.  We are to worship in Him and through Him.  What this means is that when we live, we are to know to whom we belong.  We are Christ’s.  We are to act like Him, speak like Him, love like Him, and teach like Him.  Being a disciple is about imitating Him.  But we are also to know who gives us power.  We can act like Him because He enables us.  We can love like Him because He enables us.  We can speak like Him because He enables us.  We do everything in Him and through Him.

Where in your life do you feel like you belong in Christ?  Where in your life do you feel God’s power at work?

Passage for Tomorrow: Colossians 3:18-19