Today’s Reading: Colossians 1

I am so excited about my morning coffee today – yes, both what is in the cup and what is in the Word! This morning we look back over the entire first chapter of Colossians again. Today we are going to see how Paul wrapped it all up and tied it in a bow!

For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

THIS INCLUDES YOU who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. – Colossians 1:19-22 (NLT)

Just as it was the fullness of the presence of God living in Christ as He surrendered Himself on the cross, so God brings US into His presence and strengthens US as we surrender our sovereignty and let Jesus be King. He gives us the strength to do what He has asked us to do – what kind of King does that?!!

God equips us with all His glorious power so that we will have the endurance and patience we need:

We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy… – Colossians 1:11

And He equips us with wisdom so that we can live the kind of holy life that produces every kind of good fruit:

So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. – Colossians 1:9-10

This brings us to the next point:

There is no POWER without PRESENCE

And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me. – Colossians 1:27b-29 (NLT)

It is in God’s presence that He makes things known to us – he solves the mystery. It is because Christ lives in us that we can share in His glory. It is our union with Christ, our intimate walk that gives us hope – hope for us and for those watching us.

So the secret of the mystery is to allow God to bring us into His presence and then remain there, allowing God to fill us so that He can work through us. It is in the “remaining” that we continue in our faith and produce a life that is worthy of the Lord and pleasing to Him in every way – fruit that comes from faith and holiness He produces in our lives. He rescued us from darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. Let’s surrender and rest in His presence, positioning ourselves to receive the fulfillment of all of His promises.

Thank you, God, for the truths we find in Colossians chapter 1. Thank you for your presence – for the ability to spend time with you each day. Thank you for the truth that we are never alone, that you are always with us. We recognize your power in our lives today and we surrender to your Lordship. Amen.