Overflowing

Colossians 2: 2-4 and 7-8 -  My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,  in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. ……..rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.  See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

Powerful words once again from Paul….words that speak to our need to study for ourselves and pray for understanding …pray for the wisdom of God to jump out at us from every page we read.  Paul tells us to knit ourselves together in God’s love….to root ourselves in Christ…to strengthen our faith….to study and fill ourselves with so much knowledge that it overflows into thankfulness. Paul is calling us to be careful…to read the bible and base what we believe on it …so we won’t we deceived by any new idea that is not supported by God’s Holy Word.

Paul gives us potent words of growth here…if we heed what he says there is no limit to what we can accomplish for God’s kingdom. All encouragement should originate directly from our heart…the heart that Christ is transforming into a place of unselfish caring for others…the heart that Christ controls…and rules in love.  The love we have then...the love of Christ should drive us to be like minded…to knit ourselves together….to be united in our passion to love others…so sure of the directives in God’s bible that we become a team of evangelists that all work to one purpose…to share the love of God with others…to help save the whole world to Christ.

We only do this when we root ourselves in God’s word….when we study to show ourselves approved.  We can only be strong when we know what God says about any one given topic….and can speak with confidence….quote his scripture…like Jesus did to Satan in the wilderness those 40 days of fasting.  We can only know God’s word when we take the time to climb that mountain…like Moses did….and sit at his feet…and listen…and watch him write his words on our hearts as he gives us a copy on a stone tablet to share with others.

The danger if we don’t….well….I thought of the plants I love so much…the garden of beautiful flowers that I planted just before I left for my Spring break trip to the beach.  I dug and planted some impatiens…some marigolds…some gladiolas.  I watered them before I left…they had a whole week to establish themselves before I left…but you guessed it…most are gone…dried up cause it did not rain much that week. Their roots were not deep enough to get to the water deep under the earth…poor things are shriveled beyond recognition…look like weeds that need to be pulled up and tossed in the compost pile.

We are no different...I was guilty for years of opening my bible…if I remembered where I sat it down…maybe once a week on my own.  I thought that the weekly sermon on Sunday…the additional scripture on Wednesday night would water me enough to slide by. I would be driven to ‘read’ for a time…maybe even a whole chapter.  I remember once trying to ‘read’ the bible through…but I never made it…until now.  The difference…for me honestly…it was the pain of loss…the confusion of divorce…the brokenness of my spirit that drove me to first search his word for answers.  And because for the first time I really drank in the words…not just read….merely decoded them quickly…I really allowed them to become a part of my heart…they comforted me…they became that wonderful book that I simply cannot put down.  I have to…even if it is just one verse…have to open it each night and seek its wisdom…fill my heart…not just my head with its comfort and allow it to soothe the pain that the world created in my heart. 

I tried to sleep late today….but God woke me up to write...to process what he allowed me to read last night…and the tears flow once again as I realize …like Paul must have…how amazing this God is that loves me so much to cradle me in his arms and I understand THAT THESE TEARS…these precious tears are building my faith…encouraging my heart….uniting me to God….his precious son……and his Holy Spirit….helping me to grow roots so deep that I will never lack for his living water again.   Roots so deep that I will become a plant that outgrows its pot….and can be divided and shared with others.

Father…you are so amazing…to water me so…to help me to grow roots that are strong…that search out you r living water…so I can be sustained in your love and not be swayed by the things of this world.  I thank you that you have allowed me to grow so much in you… that you touch me each morning with precious words of knowledge…and even allow me to share these insights with others.  Help me father to overflow…to unite with others…to share this knowledge with others at every opportunity.  Thank you …thank you…thank you for loving me and giving your son to pay the price for my sins.  Thank you for sending your precious Holy Spirit to comfort me and teach me how to love you more completely.  I praise you for being such an amazing God…Amen.