February 3 | Colossians 1:21-23

Pam Mann
Feb 3
3 min read

DAILY READING

REFLECTION

Before and After

By Pam Mann

I love before and after pics. Imagine the overgrown yard that gets a total makeover, making both landscaper and homeowner proud. What about the hoarder home where loving friends haul out the trash and free the overwhelmed occupant from years of poor decisions? Or, what about the abandoned, battered dresser on the roadside that a refinisher rescues to repair, refinish, and renew as a quality piece of furniture? Then, there’s the puny guy who beefs up his diet, learns to love weightlifting, and becomes so brawny that old friends don’t recognize him.

Paul’s before and after contrasts are in verse 21: “once you were alienated” and in verse 22: “now you are reconciled.” This extreme make-over is like only some of the modern makeovers listed above. Contemporary before-and-after depictions often laud the folks

involved for their drive and tenacity, because they themselves have exerted huge effort to transform their homes or their bodies. Other transformations happen because an outsider with expertise has arrived and pulled a treasure out of what would otherwise be trash. This latter dynamic is what happens when Jesus breaks into a lost life. These verses in Colossians describe a before and after turn-around, which can only occur when a Savior arrives. Clearly all praise belongs to Jesus for the transformation that only He can create in our relationship with God. We can contribute nothing to the miraculous change; Jesus does it all for us.

Previously, we were estranged from God, his enemies, trapped in sin. In John 8:34, Jesus says, “Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.” Think what a lifestyle change the move from enslavement to freedom is! Sin is an enslavement that requires an outside rescuer. There’s no pulling off an escape from sin on our own. In fact, Paul further underscores how dramatic this transformation into life in Christ is in Ephesians 2:5, “even when we were dead in our trespasses, (God) made us alive together with Christ.” No wonder Paul adds: “By grace you have been saved!”

Grace! We’re talking about the best gift ever to the least-deserving recipients. The gift costs the giver the highest price imaginable: the life of His only Son sacrificed in a torturous death.

And to what end? For what purpose does the Son of God give His all for rogues like us? Paul says:

“to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation”

The Lord of the universe wants YOU, cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, sustained by His own Spirit. God wants YOU alive and free in sweet connection with Him. God has done all that was needed to open up for us a sacred intimacy with Him.

Talk about good news! This is the best news. We do not need a great day, whatever that phrase might currently bring to mind for you. Better than great day, we have a great God who has arranged everything for us to be on intimate terms with him. Whatever the ups and downs of this day might be for you, the Lord God Almighty has chosen you for constant caring companionship with Himself. When life gets rocky, he calls you to pull in closer to Him. God is, after all, the One who saves YOU.

PRAYER

Thank you, heavenly Father, for this sweet closeness that is ours in Jesus. Keep us close to You this day. Keep us listening to You, praying to You, and obeying You.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PAM MANN

I first joined UALC when my husband (then my fiancé) and I were college students involved in youth ministry. God has used UALC to nurture our family’s faith, even in our years outside the U.S. I’ve participated in UALC ministries with kids, art, prayer, exercise, ESL, and Bible teaching. I do all the fun church things.