Smeagol is Free!
A hermitudinal view of...stuff...


12.07.2005  

Word

Colossians 3:12 - 17
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another witth psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

I've been reading through and meditating on Colossians over the past several days, and this morning I sat in Java and read chapter two and part of three. Having just gotten off of an 8 hour shift, my brain wasn't working all that well, so I put my head down and drooled on my arm for a few minutes. After that, I sat there and thought about Paul's exhortation in 3:12 - 17. What came to mind was not any one particular observation about the text, but rather an observation about Scripture in general: although I may be able to apprehend and comprehend the truths the LORD sets forth in His word at a voracious rate, the rate of application of such truths seems to come infinitesimaly. In other words, the rate of return is not nearly so great as I would hope.

Yet all is not lost; indeed, all is well. In Christ, we are already saved, already declared righteous, already sanctified. Is this not a beautiful hope? Is this not the very reason why we can do all we do in the name of the Lord Jesus, and can give heartfelt thanks to the Father through Christ for all that comes our way? Indeed it is! Yet, we must also realize that although we are already saved, sanctified, and righteous, we have yet to be fully saved, realize full sanctification, and have not yet been declared righteous once and for all. There is a day when that will come, and we hope and long for that day.

Until that day, however, we must live with the exhortation of Paul in our hearts. Yes this exhortation is one that seems beyond us and yes we live in a world full of struggle, but it is an exhortation that comes interlaced with the very means and hope all in one: namely, Christ. It is He who provides the way, it is His strength in which we labor, and it is unto His glory that we do so.

posted by Bolo | 10:47 AM
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