Today's Scripture
TODAY’S READING SCHEDULE: Habakkuk 1-3; Colossians 3
The fullness of Life in Christ – Colossians 3:1-15
Therefore, if you were raised with Christ, look for the things that are above where Christ is sitting at God’s right side. 2 Think about the things above and not things on earth. 3 You died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
5 So put to death the parts of your life that belong to the earth, such as sexual immorality, moral corruption, lust, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6 The wrath of God is coming upon disobedient people because of these things. 7 You used to live this way, when you were alive to these things. 8 But now set aside these things, such as anger, rage, malice, slander, and obscene language. 9 Don’t lie to each other. Take off the old human nature with its practices 10 and put on the new nature, which is renewed in knowledge by conforming to the image of the one who created it. 11 In this image there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all things and in all people.
12 Therefore, as God’s choice, holy and loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Be tolerant with each other and, if someone has a complaint against anyone, forgive each other. As the Lord forgave you, so also forgive each other. 14 And over all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 The peace of Christ must control your hearts—a peace into which you were called in one body. And be thankful people.
What does this passage mean to me/us?
You must be familiar with the wisdom of the Cherokee Idians. If not, you may find it on the internet under the ‘tale of two wolves.’
The elderly man shares the wisdom that good or evil grows in us, based on the decision of us, ‘to whom we choose to feed.’
Similarly, Paul shares the same concept, “Think about the things above and not things on earth.” He continues to tell us to “put to death the parts of your life that belong to the earth.” Paul’s challenge must have been trying since we see it appear in Paul’s letters several times. If it was difficult 2,000 years ago, how much more difficult would it be for us living in the 21st century? Many things on earth are attractive. Which reminds us of the time Eve was looking at the fruit in the garden, “the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.”
Then how do we achieve this task? We can do it by ‘turning our eyes onto Jesus,’ who is above this world. When we can fix our eyes onto Jesus, we will experience how all things on earth will slowly turn dim.
Like the song says,
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Prayer
Lord, help us to turn our eyes onto you and you alone!
In Christ Name we pray, AMEN.
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