Todays readings.. Deuteronomy 31, Isaiah 3&4, Colossians 1
“WARNING EVERYONE AND TEACHING EVERYONE” May 14th
Today we started reading Paul’s letter “To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae” [1 v.2] The first chapter ends in a meaningful and challenging way, he writes, “we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” Christ worked “within” Paul! And “within” us?
We often meditate upon “the mind of Christ” – but what about the mind, the spirit of mind, Paul developed! Do we see this as an example to us? Or is it completely beyond our reach? Let us not forget that Paul told the Corinthians, “we have the mind of Christ” [1st Epistle 2 v.16] And how inspiring for us is what Paul told the Hebrews, that God “has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” [13 v.5]
Tomorrow we will read in ch. 2 that Paul seeks for them to “be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” [v.2,3] Read that again – and again. This is central to what Paul was “teaching everyone.”!
Are we making real progress in grasping “God’s mystery, which is Christ”? Are we progressively discovering more “treasures of wisdom and knowledge”? This is the foundation, so that we learn “to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” [1 v.10]
Paul sets the example! Do we find his example impossible – beyond our ability to follow – even a little? Paul tells the Colossians, “we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” [v.9] Paul writes of “this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” [v.27,28]
The narrow way in following Christ – is a daily challenge – but it is a wonderful challenge and the more we can spiritually put our hands in his, the more we will marvel at “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” which “are hidden” in Christ which we will be discovering more and more as we read and meditate upon the Scriptures each day.
