Colossians [Day 7]
Holy & Blameless
One of the biggest things I've struggled with in life, is identity. This world tells us that we are defined by our mistakes, our failures, the things we accomplish (or don't), and eventually it gets to a point that no matter how hard we try...we can never quite grasp happiness; or achieve perfection. So coming to the Lord, it was hard for me to comprehend what was done for me; because who I am, that God would even care?
The Truth I'm learning now is that: I am everything to God, just as He is everything to me. I am so valuable to Him, in fact, that He sent His only Son to die for me; to redeem me and make me holy and blameless in the eyes of the Lord. I am His daughter, because He is my Father; I am His princess, because He is my King. I am royalty, because of what God has done for me, by adopting me into His royal family. I am worth more than all the earth's treasures; because I am His. And God knows my name. And He knows yours, too!
Let's dive into the verse of today, and see what God has in store for our hearts:
'Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— ' Colossians 1:21-22 NIV
'Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds as expressed in your evil actions. But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through his death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before him — ' Colossians 1:21-22 CSB
'This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. ' Colossians 1:21-22 NLT
'And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— ' Colossians 1:21-22 NKJV
'And although you were at one time estranged and alienated and hostile-minded [toward Him], participating in evil things, yet Christ has now reconciled you [to God] in His physical body through death, in order to present you before the Father holy and blameless and beyond reproach— ' Colossians 1:21-22 AMP
I underlined the word "now" because this verse speaks of what was, and what now is. And it's important for each of us to understand that this verse is for today. It's for right now. It means right within this moment, you are so precious to God because our Lord Jesus Christ has reconciled us to our Father God. You are holy and make blameless in the sight of the Father, because of the sacrifice that was made by our Lord and Savior; so long as we ask for forgiveness for our sins, and continue to accept the free gift that was already accomplished and given to us.
This is everything because we've been given eternal life, to live in peace and paradise with the Lord God. What are we going to do with that today? Who are we going to share it with? Who's lives were we all placed in so that we can share this gift with them?
- Challenge -
The same challenge from yesterday stands for today:
This week:
Share the gospel with at least one person in your life, that is not a Christian.
Ask to pray with and for at least one stranger that you see that is in need, regardless of the need.
Nervous? Me too haha, but let's use tonight's closing prayer to ask for courage, boldness, confidence, encouragement, and grace to be able to get over our fears and get this ball moving.
- Closing Prayer -
Father God, I thank You for Your everlasting love and the covenant You've made with us. I thank You for redeeming us and reconciling us to Yourself. I thank You that You chose to send Jesus Christ to dwell among us as a man, so that He may be tortured and crucified; a death that was meant for us, so that we may be made holy and blameless in Your sight, Lord God. I thank You for sending the precious Holy Spirit, to testify and intercede on our behalf, that we are children of God.
I thank You Lord for Your grace, and the Year of Grace that we live in so that we might come to You and know You and then share You with everyone You've destined for us to be apart of their lives. I thank You Lord, for the courage and boldness that You have given each of us to proclaim the Good News, and to share all the spiritual blessings in Christ. I thank You Lord God, for who You are.
I thank You Lord for who I am becoming each and every day, and for the opportunity to be Yours. I thank You my Heavenly Father for loving me, when I couldn't love myself. I thank You Lord for teaching me what love truly is; I thank You Lord for saving my life, from death and darkness. I thank You Lord God for calling me home to You.
In Jesus' name. Amen.