February 4 | Colossians 3:12-17

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DAILY READING

Colossians 3:12-17

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REFLECTION

CHRIST-SHAPED VISION

By Katie Borden

The passage we hear today from Colossians is filled with a lot of incredibly helpful instructions on how to live a Christ-shaped life. In fact, many of the kids (and adults) who join us each summer for Vacation Bible School have several verses of this passage memorized because of the incredible gift of Bible memory verse songs!

But taken as a whole, this passage speaks to more than just how individuals should act (though it does also give guidance for our actions as believers). When viewed as a “big picture,” this passage gives us an inspiring vision for what life in a Christlike community can look like: we are able to serve one another with an emphasis on the well-being of our neighbor, because we are able to trust that God is shaping our neighbor to do the same for us. We are able to vulnerably offer kindness and forgiveness to people who don’t seem to deserve it because we have seen the power of Christ at work in our own lives, forgiving us and tending to us with love and kindness when we were actively working against him (Romans 5:8). The foundation for such a way of life together is found in that same love—the love of Christ (v. 14), which fills us up in such a way that we, becoming more and more like Christ, cannot help but allow it to spill over into others’ lives, making their interests our top priority rather than our own.

And, lest we forget that realizing this vision is some project we have to complete on our own, we remember the good news found at the beginning of the passage: we are secure in our identity as people so dearly loved by God—his chosen ones, about whom he has not and will not change his mind. Through Christ, we are safe and secure in the love of God, and so we are free in the power of the Spirit to create a community where others can experience that freedom, forgiveness, and life. Now that’s a compelling vision!

PRAYER

God, we thank you that our identity in you is secure. Empower us by your Spirit to live our lives more and more in the way of Christ, so that together we might become a community that walks out the love of Christ for each other and a world that needs it. Cultivate the fruit of your Spirit in us, and guide us as we seek to walk in your ways this day. Amen.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KATIE BORDEN

I’m a lifelong member of UALC and have had the privilege of serving our community in both volunteer and staff roles over the years. I love learning, OSU football, good conversations, chocolate croissants, laughter, and sharing about the good news of Jesus in whatever capacity I can.