Reading God’s Word: Colossians 1:7–14
7Epaphras, our much loved co-worker, was the one who brought you the Good
News. He is Christ’s faithful servant, and he is helping us in your place. 8He is the
one who told us about the great love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.
9So we have continued praying for you ever since we first heard about you.
We ask God to give you a complete understanding of what he wants to do in your
lives, and we ask him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom. 10Then the way
you live will always honor and please the Lord, and you will continually do good,
kind things for others. All the while, you will learn to know God better and better.
11We also pray that you will be strengthened with his glorious power so that
you will have all the patience and endurance you need. May you be filled with
joy, 12always thanking the Father, who has enabled you to share the inheritance
that belongs to God’s holy people, who live in the light. 13For he has rescued us
from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he has brought us into
the Kingdom of his dear Son. 14God has purchased our freedom with his blood
and has forgiven all our sins.
From Now to Eternity
Meeting God changes your life. Trusting God makes a lot of things possible that
were impossible before you met Him—like having your sins forgiven and
receiving the gift of eternal life. You may not “feel” what God is doing much of the
time, but you can be sure that He is working. Maybe you've heard people talk
about how Jesus changed their lives. He wants to bring about these same types
of changes in your life.
In the verses you just read, the apostle Paul asked God on behalf of the
Colossians for at least nine results. We are praying for the same in your life:
1. That you will understand what God wants to do in your life (v. 9).
2. That you will have wisdom that comes from God (v. 9).
3. That your life will be pleasing and honoring to God (v. 10).
4. That you will find more and more ways to do good for others (v. 10).
5. That you will know God better (v. 10).
6. That you will experience God’s power in your life (v. 11).
7. That you will receive the patience and endurance God wants to give you
(v. 11).
8. That you will be filled with joy (v. 11).
9. That you will be more and more thankful as you better understand what
God has done for you (v. 12).
Meeting God Changes Your Life
Does this seem a little overwhelming to you? That’s OK. Right now you’re just
getting a glimpse of what God wants to do in your life, but getting to that place
will take some time. Look at that list again. Is there anything there you wouldn’t
want to be true of your life? Of course not! Realize that God made all these
things available to you as you grow spiritually. Note the thought expressed in
verse 13. If you've invited Christ into your life you have been declared a citizen
in Christ’s kingdom. You were held hostage in the kingdom of darkness, but
now you are free in Christ.
Your time from now to eternity will involve learning what it means to be a citizen
in Christ’s kingdom. Now there’s a life worth living!
Think about these questions as you read Colossians 1:7–14:
What changes do you want God to make in your life?
How does it make you feel to know, once you’ve accepted Christ, that
you’re a citizen of heaven?
Apply It
Are there parts of your life that are particularly challenging right now? God wants
you to have faith and know that He is in control of your life, but that can be
overwhelming and difficult to understand when you’re just starting to know what
faith is. If you already have a Christian friend, ask them to pray for you and help
you understand what God is doing in your life. If you don’t know another
Christian, try to find a new Christian friend. And above all else, keep asking God
to give you the faith you need to trust Him.
Express It
Reading and thinking about God’s Word is all about letting God speak to you.
Praying is all about you talking to God. It’s not a ritual or just repeating something
you’ve memorized. Prayer is talking to God from the heart. If this is a new habit
for you, stop for a moment and ask yourself, “What would I want to say to Jesus
Christ if He walked up and sat by me right now?” Go ahead and tell Him those
things, and ask Him those questions. That’s basic prayer.
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