Thoughts from Colossians 1:3-5

1:3-5

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.

Paul and Timothy thanked God for the Colossians.  Why?  Because they had heard of 1) their faith in Christ Jesus and 2) the love that they had for their fellow believers.  Why did they have such faith and love?  They had it because of the hope that was laid up for them in Heaven. 

Application:

When others think about me, do they thank God for me?  When I come to others’ minds, what’s the picture they see?  Do they see someone who holds on to Jesus with all his might?  Do they see someone who loves others?  And, do they see this in good times as well as in bad?  I’ve learned that it’s easy to live, love and have faith on the mountaintops.  It’s easy to trust God when things are going well.  It’s easy to love when people are loving to me.

But, do I love when people hurt me?  Do I love when circumstances are against me?  Do I have faith through it all?  I confess, Lord, that the answer is “no.”  I confess that I allow the things in this world to color the picture my life paints.  But, it needn’t be.  In I Corinthians 15:19, the Holy Spirit through Paul writes, “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.”  Thank You, Father, that my hope is not for this life only.  Thank You, Father, that my hope is a hope that is “laid up for [me] in heaven.”  It’s a hope that is steadfast and true.  It’s a hope that doesn’t vary with the circumstances of this life.  Father, forgive me for allowing the enemy to deflect my sight from the hope that is available to me.  In John 10:10, Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”  Abundant life is available to the believer here and now.  It’s not only a promise of what is to come, but a promise of what we have available now.  It’s not a promise that life will go well.  It’s a promise that we can have hope and joy even when life doesn’t go well.  It’s a promise that roots not from this world, but from the One who created this world.  He spoke the world into existence.  Colossians 1:16 tells us, “For by Him all things were created, in Heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through Him and for Him.”  He puts kings on thrones and rulers in their places.  He created all that we see and all that’s invisible. He created me and He created you.  Psalm 139:13 says, “For You formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.”  Verse 16 of the same chapter says “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in Your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”  God knew me from before time began.  He loved me and He cared for me.  He knew what each of my days would entail – the good, the bad, and the ugly.  He knew both the wise decisions I would make and the unwise.  He knew the days I would follow after Him with all my heart as well as the days that I would turn my back on Him in pursuit of my own selfish desires.  Yet, He loved me.  HE loved me.  He LOVED me.  He loved ME!!!!  And, the most incredible part is that He continues to love me and always will love me.  Not dependent upon my circumstances and not dependent upon my faithfulness.  Instead, it’s dependent upon His faithfulness.  Over the past several months, God has drawn my attention to a word that is used over and over in Scripture to describe Him – “steadfast.”  Steadfast can be defined as “resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering.”  Our God is resolute.  He is firm.  He is unwavering.  I’m the one who is fickle.  I’m the one who shifts and sways.  He is the One who remains true to Himself at all times.  God loves me.  Period.  No need to question it, no need to try to earn it, no need to wonder why.  It is who He is.  It is what He is.  1 John 4:16a – “God is love.”

Bringing it all together – am I living the abundant life right here and now that has been promised to me by the unchanging, stable God who always has and always will love me?  Am I trusting in His Son – the Creator of all things – the One who gave His life for me?  Am I keeping my sight not on the things of this world, but on the things of God?  Am I experiencing the joy and hope that God has this all in His control?  No need to worry – no need to fret.  This life is but short and fleeting in comparison to the eternity I will have with Him – where there will be no more suffering of any kind.  Are others seeing this in me despite my circumstances?  Not for my glory, but for His?  Not to bring attention to me, but to bring attention to Him?  I pray, Lord, that my life will be a song to You – a song of praise and a song of joy.  For I am already blessed far beyond what I could ever deserve.  And, it’s all because You love me.