Only Christ: What We Need

“My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:2-3)

Why does Paul struggle for these people he has not met? What do they need so desperately? That’s what we’ll be discovering for the next several days – the urgent answer Paul felt compelled to risk his life to make known to them (and to us).

only_350The first two items on our needs list are courageous hearts and love-saturated unity with other believers. If our hearts are cowardly, if we are many things instead of one thing together in Christ, then we are missing out. We are missing what it means to belong to God, to be in Christ, to be fully Christian.

Paul knows we should be loaded, rich, wealthy, fully funded in our understanding of Jesus. If we don’t really know Jesus, we are broke. We are missing the point. We may be believing that he is a piece of our puzzle instead of the picture on the box. He is the final answer. He is the point.

All the facts and what to do with them are waiting to be found in Jesus.

Think: Would you say that your heart is courageous in Christ? Would you say you have experienced unity with other Christians? Would you say that you are hoping Jesus will solve your problems or that you are hoping to know more of Jesus?

Pray: Ask God to help you to be encouraged in heart and united in love. Ask him to help you to have the full riches of complete understanding to know Christ, the mystery of God. Thank him that by faith and through his grace you do know Christ.

Do: Read and think about Colossians 1:15-20 to know Jesus better.