Begin with two minutes of silence and stillness before God.
As I read this passage, I am drawn to the idea of knowing someone. Each and every one of us has relationships in our lives, some good and some bad. How do we make these relationships, friendships, and connections? The answer is simple. We spend time together to get to know one another. So, what about our relationship with Jesus? I ask this question because this is exactly what Paul was praying over the church in Colossae. In verse 9 of Colossians 1, Paul says that he has been praying for them to be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Paul is praying that these believers would continue to build their relationship with Jesus and grow in Him.
But why does Paul want this for the church of Colossae? Verses 10 through 14 begin to give us that answer, but I really focused on verse 10. It says, “so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” Paul is showing us something important here. We do not grow just by trying harder. We grow by knowing God more. The more we learn about Him, the more our lives begin to reflect Him. Why should we want to grow more with God? Paul continues this thought in verses 12-14 by reminding us why our relationship with God is so important. He says that Jesus has qualified us, delivered us from darkness, and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption. This is everything to us as Christians.
Think about it in your own life. The people you spend the most time with are the people you begin to sound like, act like, and even think like. That is just how relationships work. The same is true in our relationship with Jesus. If we want to walk in a way that honors Him, if we want to live lives that produce good fruit, it starts with knowing Him more deeply. It starts with spending time with Him, learning His Word, and understanding who He is.
The question we should ask ourselves is this. Are we actually spending time getting to know Jesus, or are we just trying to live the right way without that relationship? Paul makes it clear that when we grow in our knowledge of God, our lives will naturally begin to change. We will walk differently, live differently, and we will reflect the God that we serve. I do not know about you, but that is a difference that I am striving for.
Take two minutes to reflect in silence.