#38 Colossians 1:15-17 NLT

Colossians 1:15-17 NLT

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through Him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through Him and for Him. He existed before anything else, and He holds all creation together.

1/14/07-1/16/07

Through the life of Christ and the things He did while on this earth, we can see what God is like since Jesus was “God with us”. If we will study the things that Jesus did and said while here, we come to know His heart - the heart of God. Jesus healed those He chose to and taught those who would listen and wept over the fate of the unbelieving. He was also angry over the hypocritical religious life of the scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees, and the priests. We can see then how God will heal according to His will and our faith, how He will teach and bring light to those who desire to hear the truth and grow in the light, how even though God punishes the wicked and unbelieving He does not want any to perish but everyone to come to repentance, and how He is still angry with those who twist His words and the way of salvation and keep people from being saved by living inconsistently with their religious beliefs, thus maligning the true way. Jesus, since He is God, is creator of all and is therefore supreme master and unquestioned Lord. All things were made by His power and all things were made for His glory and will be seen to bring Him glory in the end. We pray, “Lord Jesus, thank You for coming to earth and allowing us to see what God is really like, for displaying the heart of God for all those who want to know who You are. As we read or listen to the account of You life here, help us to keep our hearts open to understanding who You are. May we listen to Your words and desire to grow in Your light, and help us to be true followers of You not hypocrites or “religious people” but keep us in close relationship with You as true believers that we would not break Your heart or provoke Your anger. Christ, may You be undisputed Lord of us who call upon Your name. May You be master of all of our lives. Lord, we desire to bring glory to Your name for we were made by You and we were made for this very reason: to bring glory to You by embracing Your gift of grace and by proclaiming Your worth through our desire to know and draw near to You. You are worthy of all praise, glory, honor, and power. Thank You for being who You are and for choosing to reveal Your self to us that we might know You. May You be all our heart’s desire. Amen.”