He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation;
for in him all things in heaven and on earth
were created,
things visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—
all things have been created through him and for him.
He himself is before all things,
and in him all things hold together.
He is the head of the body, the church;
he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
so that he might come to have
first place in everything.
For in him all the fullness of God
was pleased to dwell,
and through him God was pleased
to reconcile to himself all things,
whether on earth or in heaven,
by making peace through the blood of his cross.

Colossians 1:15-20

Yesterday when we checked our Western Wisconsin 10 day weather forecast we were happy to see that temperatures are supposed to moderate. Good news for us! Maybe the 3 inches of rutted ice on our roads will thaw out some. That would be a treat.

We could not resist checking the weather forecast for our favorite Florida city at the same time. Now there is a forecast I can get excited about! Warm sun, swaying palms and white sand beaches are calling me, but the journey that is in store for me in the next weeks and months won’t be that one.

I am packing my bags, getting ready to set out on a journey of faith through the unknown territory of the New Year of 2010. This trip calls for a serious reevaluation of what I have been carrying around with me in 2009.

A dear friend and mentor from seminary days taught us to “turn over our baskets” as we prepare to set out on a new or renewed journey of faith. It is fitting that instead of turning over my “baskets” this time, I am picturing emptying out and repacking my favorite traveling suitcase.

I have been listening to the current podcasts of some of my favorite teachers such as Francis Chan, Andy Stanley, and other trusted women and men of the faith.  They confirm the feeling I have that as much as we would wish for our lives to get back to “normal”, it isn’t going to happen.

I don’t believe we are going back to what has been “normal” for our country and world in the past. I believe that every Christ follower’s challenge will be to find peace, joy and purpose in a world that is forever changed. One teacher on the End Times stated that she feels history’s clock is poised at 2 minutes to midnight. We are getting closer and closer to the Lord’s return. 

I feel that urgency of the times in which we are living deep in my spirit. So I want to pack light and wisely this year. What are the essentials that God wants me to tuck into my “carry-on luggage”?

As I regroup and review the study we have been doing on Colossians here at Rest and Be Thankful, I am sure that the first, most important thing I need in 2010 is to focus on praise and worship of the God who is the all powerful, all knowing Creator and Ruler over all things.

One of the powerful messages of the book of Colossians is that Christ is sufficient. He is enough. He is the answer to any questions or needs that we have.

Our temptation is that when we are in extreme need, whether it is money problems, losing a job, illness, or family or relationship problems we try to fix it on our own. We may try to depend on inadequate or deceptive philosophies that the world offers to us. Or, as in the case of the church at Colossae, we may be influenced to follow a counterfeit Christian message from false teachers. Are we guilty as some were in the Colossian church of making our own “designer” religion that mixes true Christianity with any number of popular pagan religious practices that are rampant at the present time?

I only want Jesus. The armor that will guard me from error, despair or discouragement is praise. Worship and praise will keep my eyes on the One who is sufficient for all my needs. Paul gave the Colossians that ultimate weapon to fight their personal battles in teaching them about the sufficiency of Christ. Verses 15-20 in chapter one was possibly a familiar hymn that the early church often sang in worship. Whether Paul wrote it or not is not important. What is important my study Bible tells me, is the fact that it is one of the strongest statements about the divine nature of Christ found anywhere in the Bible.

That is something to praise. That is something to focus my attention on. That is something to build my life and, and carry with me throughout the challenging days ahead. 

Dear Friends,
I like the idea that Colossians 1:15-20 is indeed an early hymn of the church. I wrote it for us here as if it was a hymn, with each thought and word picture given room to live and breath. Meditate on it this week, along with the other amazing truths that Paul taught the Colossians and others – truths that he intended to be massive stone blocks building up their foundation of faith.

I am leaving plenty of room in my suitcase for worship and praise this year. Will you join me in offering the sacrifice of praise to our worthy Savior?

On the Way,
Joan Tyvoll
Norwegian Ridge Retreat

P.S. Please check out the beautiful YouTube video with the African American Spiritual "Give Me Jesus" sung by Fernando Ortego -  a good way to inspire us to make good on our promise to worship first this year.

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ROSELLAHyde29  - reply this post   |Jul 19, 2010 Set your life time more simple take the loans and all you need. Reply 0   0

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