Day 188 "Rescued From the Dominion of Darkness" (Colossians: Chapter One)

Welcome to the book of Colossians. As with Galatians, Ephesians, and Philippians, Paul continues to write of God's grace, God's love, our freedom in Christ, and of the lifestyle that should be reflected in the life of a believer. I hope you will discover many morsels of spiritual truths which will help inspire and guide you through this physical world as it has done for me.

Colossians: Chapter One

:5 "the faith and love that springs up from the hope that is stored up for you

in heaven and that you already heard about in the world of truth, the gos-

pel that has come to you."

Our mind and spirit switches gears whenever we begin to think of spiritual

things. It is so easy to get caught up in this physical world, which moves us to accept only those things which we can see and touch. But whenever we seem to take a step back from this world and allow our physical consciousness to embrace and meditate of the things of the spiritual realm, there appears to be a stirring within, an awakening of the Spiritual presence within us assuring us that what we are thinking about is not mere fantasy, but actual reality. And suddenly, there becomes an awareness that despite what is going on in the physical realm around us, all is well with the spiritual soul within. For it is this hope before us in the spiritual realm that releases us from the bondage of fear and anxiety that we so often experience in this physical realm, to embrace love.

:9 "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying

for you and asking God to fill you with knowledge of his will through all spirit-

ual wisdom and understanding."

Take note that in a world where we understand things by what we can see and touch, God does things differently. He works through our spirit. There is a transformation ahead, a shifting of our understanding, that awaits the believer who has trusted his life in Christ.

:10-12 "And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may

please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glor-

ious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully

giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheri-

tance of the saints in the kingdom of light."

We only have one shot at living this life here on Earth. Therefore, Paul is

encouraging the believers in Colosse to grow in their knowledge of God so

that they might become all that God desires for them to be here on Earth. We have been qualified through Christ to share in the inheritance of God's kingdom. This alone should inspire us enough with gratitude to seek to be all that God would have us be.

:13-14 "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the

kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of

sins."

This happens to be one of my three life verses. I have no idea where I would have wound up had it not been for encountering the grace and love of God through Christ. I would have been lost in darkness, filled with despair, regret. and continuous anxiety. Instead, I was pulled out of the darkness to discover a radiant hope that has altered the pathway of my life. This hope

in Christ now lights and warms my heart with a peace and joy that surpasses human understanding and which provides direction to my steps. I can honestly say that I have found contentment within despite the changing circumstances I encounter. There is an endearing factor to know that God "brought us into the kingdom of the Son that he loves." When it is that something is done for us outside our own ability to achieve it, a deep sense of gratitude, a profound awareness of grace, washes over the life of a believer cleansing one with a spirit of humility. We are deeply indebted to this love that God has chosen to pour over us. There is no boasting on our part. We did nothing to earn it. Instead, as we grow in our awareness and understanding of this love for us, our hearts and attitudes begin to change. Life looks differently from the perspective as a child of God, an heir to God's kingdom.

:15-18 "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have supremacy."

:19-20 "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to

reconcile to himself all things, whether things on Earth or things in heaven, by

making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."

This simple answers the all important question, "Who is Christ?" Can you imagine being all that, yet, willingly surrender it all to take on a human form in order to lay down his life for all of humanity? Look all around you, can you find any greater example of love? Is there anyone else of greater honor and worthiness to be followed?

:22 "But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation."

The grandeur and appreciation of such love expressed through a broken body can hardly take shape through mere words. Not only are we forgiven, but we are totally made righteous and holy before God. Our relationships with God through Christ have been totally and completely restored and reconciled. Oh, if only we as believers, could truly grasp the magnitude of God's grace, we would find freedom and peace to enjoy this world and well as look forward to the next.

:27 "the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

God, in his love and grace, made way for mankind to be restored to him. Through the mindset of the world, one might argue the point that God was a great manipulator. Didn't he created everything, implemented the rules, set up the consequences for breaking the rules, and provided a way to be seen as a savior for the world? I confess, I held this view for a quite a few years. However, the day that I suddenly became aware in my spirit that God was the one who actually died on the cross for me, that he didn't assign such a task to someone else, my heart was broken for having held such thoughts of God as the great manipulator. Instead, to my knees I dropped, and was overcome by such a profound sense of gratitude and presence of love. He sent Jesus, his one and only Son, to do something for me that I could not do for myself. Truly, I know firsthand that it is Christ in me that is my hope of glory.

Key verses for me:

:13-14 "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the

kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of

sins."

:22 "But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation."

Our sins had separated us from a just and holy God. But God, in his love and grace, rescued

us from ourselves and brought us into his kingdom. How marvelous and liberating it is to know that when we come to the end of our lives here on Earth and stand before Christ, there is nothing left to fear for anything that we have said or done in our lives! Jesus purified it all. I no longer do things because I feel that I have to them. I am, now, inspired to do things because I want to do them. And that is real freedom!

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Here is a song my Matthew West called Restored. Although it speaks mainly of reconciling a marriage, God's love has a way of reconciling everything!

May you find in Christ that everything in your life has been reconciled and restored.

In his love, see you tomorrow....

"Carpe Momentum in Love" (Seize the moment in love)