Colossians 1

Father, we give thanks to You for this Word.. the Truth.. the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We add our voices to Paul's prayer...

We ask that You would fill us with the knowledge of Your will, 

in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 

so that 

we may walk in a manner worthy of our Lord, 

pleasing You in all respects, 

bearing fruit in every good work, 

increasing in our knowledge of You. 

Strengthen us with Your power, 

according to Your glorious might!

So that, 

we might attain all steadfastness

and patience.. 

And that we might joyfully give thanks to our Father, 

who has qualified us to share in the the 

inheritance of the saints in light. 

We have an "incomparable" Savior and a Gracious God!  

He delivered us "from the domain of darkness" and "transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son!"

 He redeemed us.. forgiving our sins. 

This Jesus, the Christ, the One we seek to know and love more is:

",.. the image of the invisible God"

".. the first born of all creation."

The Creator of "all things.. both in the heavens and on earth, visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created by Him and for Him." 

He is "before all things and in Him all things hold together." 

He is the Head of the church. 

He is the "beginning, the first -born from the dead.. " 

He has "first place in everything". 

All the fulness dwells in Him. 

He reconciles all things to Himself. 

He has "made peace through the blood of His cross".

 He has "reconciled [me] in His fleshly body through death in order to present [me] before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach." 

May we stand firm in faith.. " established and steadfast" 

May we not be moved "away from the hope of the gospel". 

May we know the "riches of His glory .. Christ in [me] the hope of glory"

May we proclaim Him "admonishing every man with wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ." 

May we labor.. striving with His power which works in us. 

Even if we just meditate on one of these things.. we can advance in our goal to know and love Him more each day....  Jesus.. holds all things together.  All of creation.. all of mankind.. all of you and all of me.. He holds our marriages together.  He holds our families together.  He holds our bodies together.. He holds the Church together.   And, He does it with love and patience.. with kindness and gentleness.. He does it humbly and faithfully.  

Oh may we know the riches of His glory.. the hope we have because He is in us!

Amen.