[This reflection was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, May 2017]
“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour. 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 — if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.” Colossians 1: 21-23
Even when I look at the part of the text which seems to be conditional “if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel”, I can take comfort into some other words from Paul, which state that it is God who works in us to will and to act in order to fulfil his good purpose (Philippians 2:13). Also we are reminded by Zechariah that it is “’Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah 4:6
So, if I were to keep a record on how well I keep to God’s promises in the coming week, I can predict, with better certainty than the political pundits, that I am likely to fall short of the mark. It won’t be the first time that’s happened either.
When Guy Partridge was preaching on Colossians 1 last week, he said we should read the words and be exceedingly joyful. I had never thought of the words in this light before. For someone who is more likely to fall short of the mark than hit it every day of his life, it leaves me in awe of a God who cared so much that I would miss out on eternity with Him, that He chose to pay the price for my sin, clear the slate and reconcile me to Him.
So, on that day as the song goes, “when the saints go marching in, Oh Lord I want to be in that number, when the saints go marching in”. And when I march in by His grace, and I behold his glory, rather than cower in fear, the words of this song will prove true:
Boldly I approach your throne,
Blameless now I’m running home
By your blood I come,
Welcomed as your own,
Into the arms of majesty
Let these words be a source of joy and peace as you face the week ahead.
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1: 20-21.
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Contributed by David Makanjuola; © David Makanjuola