The Mystery

 Col. 1:21-29-Passage

Col. 1:27 

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the rices of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Christ in me! How great is that! I worship a God who is living and real and who makes His residence within me. But it wasn't always so. I was once alienated and hostile in my mind toward God. But God chose me before the foundation of the world, and Jesus reconciled me to the Father by His death and resurrection. And why? To present me holy and blames and above reproach before Him. This is the plan from God's point of view, but from my point of view, I must continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that I heard. 

It is amazing to think that this mystery was hidden for ages. That even in Christ's lifetime, it was a foreign concept. Thankfully, Paul was chosen as this ambassador to the Gentiles to spread the message of the gospel and make known the word of God. It is in the word that I truly know God and know what He has done for me. Paul used every bit of his physical body preaching, teaching, and discipling. Tortured, shipwrecked, beaten, starved, and imprisoned! All for the sake of the gospel! Most men would have thrown in the towel, but not Paul. That is how earth shattering this message was! He proclaimed Jesus, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this he toiled, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works within me. I love how Paul expresses the relationship of human effort and God's grace. It is the same for me. His energy is within me allowing Him to work powerfully within me. Praise God!

Father,

I am so thankful this morning, for the mystery, for Christ in me, for You working within me, for the word, for Christ wanting to present me blameless and holy. All of it Lord. It is so wonderful! Help me to be steadfast and stable, not shifting from the hope of the gospel. 

In Jesus name,

Amen