It’s early in the morning and I am sitting at my desk, curtains still closed, my study light dimmed. The curtains are closed to stop me being distracted by the outside world, though the sun has yet to appear above the horizon. Outside there are now noises as the town slowly comes to life, a new day dawning.
As I study and meditate on Paul’s letter to the Christians in the city of Colossae I have reached chapter 3, verse 17:
“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father, through Him.” (Colossians 3:17)
Paul is many miles away from those he is writing to. He is away to the west in the city of Rome – and under house arrest! Effectively being a prisoner means he couldn’t visit those Christians in person, but there was compassion and concern in his heart, so he was writing them a letter. More accurately he was probably dictating a letter to a secretary. He had never visited Colossae, but he had an open heart for the Christians there and he wanted to encourage them and help them where their understanding was a little wayward.
In my imagination I picture Paul, standing by an open window, looking out over the city of Rome as it too wakes to a new day. Maybe his secretary is re-reading a sentence, one he had dictated earlier. Perhaps he dictated it the previous evening, and has now slept on it and needs to review it at the start of a new day.
Refreshed from a night’s sleep I see him with a heart full of thanks for the forgiveness, the mercy and the “second chance” God gave him on that Damascus road, even though he is languishing under house arrest and probably chained to a Roman soldier. In my mind’s eye I see in him an energy and passion to tell others, to explain God’s love through Jesus to them. In addition to all that he wants to demonstrate by his character and lifestyle his dedication and determination to place all the glory, honour and praise upon God and on Him alone, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
I picture Paul pausing as he paces the room, the chains on his foot falling silent for a moment. He is choosing his words carefully. In this part of the letter he is keen to emphasise that being a disciple of Jesus is not about obeying a set of rules. Rather, as He is our Lord and our Saviour, we need to chose daily to obey Him and to submit all our thoughts, words and actions to His glory, honour and praise.
Finally, in my imagination I see him first nod and then pray for the finished letter. A prayer that it would be well received; that his heart and God’s Truth would be heard – and for obedience to flow out of them. A prayer that the disciples in Colossae would, like him, follow the Way of Jesus, in Christ’s authority and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
May the words Paul wrote to the Christians in that small town also remain foundational for my own walk on the Way and prove fruitful in His purposes – and that they may be true for you too.
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