That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him…
Colossians 1:10
A Life That Pleases God
Although Paul had never been to Colossae, what he heard about the believers there caused his heart to rejoice and to respond by praying continual blessings upon them. More than anything else, Paul wanted the saints in Colossae to live a life of pleasing God. He prays that this young church would learn how to thank God for what He has done for them in Christ.
The Christian maturity he sought in prayer on their behalf, Paul is now working to produce by writing them. Paul recognized the danger for them and for us today in failing to realize and enjoy all that it means to belong to Christ; for in that understanding rests the motivation to live a life that fully pleases Him.
The message of Colossians remains vitally important today. We, too, need to grow in our knowledge of who God is, what He has done for us in Jesus Christ, and how we can express our gratitude in a life that pleases Him.
Commentator N.T. Wright writes:
The main reason why the Colossians should give thanks to God is because of Jesus Christ; if they do this with full knowledge and understanding about who He is and what He has achieved, everything else will fall into place.
The truth that you and I are complete in Christ positions us to walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him. But we must continually heed the warning found in Hebrews 11:6:
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
The precious, valuable truths of the gospel message must be embraced with faith. What we believe will always determine how we behave. Again we are warned in Hebrews 4:2:
For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.
Whether it is the false teachers of our day that rise up around us, the enticement of the culture, or our very real struggles and trials that seek to consume us, it will be our faith that continues to please God. 1 John 5:4 assures us of this very fact:
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.
Think about the times in your life where the pain and difficulty of a situation overwhelmed you. The strength to lift your voice and hands in praise is failing you. Yet, a truth about God and His goodness comes to mind and your faith but of a mustard seed gives you the strength to sing. These are the moments that please God the most. As the tears stream down your face with words you cannot express, a song of glory bursts forth.
I have experienced many of these moments, where I have been close to giving up, but the truth of God’s love for me and the sufficiency of Christ kept me moving forward. It is during these times of darkness that I know He is real and what I believe is true.
You may be in the midst of a trial right now. Though you may not feel like worshipping or lifting your hands, remember God’s love and goodness and the sacrifice of His Son. Your song of glory will arise!
I have included one of my favorite songs to help you do just that!
A Song of Glory
LIVE
“You’ve been given one life. The choice of what you do with it belongs to you. You can live it unto yourself, pursuing your own pleasure, or you can offer it back to the One who breathed life into you, redeemed you from hell, and gave you the promise of heaven.” Kay Smith
Read 2ndCorinthians 5:14-15 and commit it to memory. Consider this question:
Is the love of Christ compelling your everyday choices and decisions, why or why not?
CHRIST
Have you forgotten all the blessings that are yours in Christ? If so, it is difficult to have a grateful heart. Take some time and journey through all the “in Christ” statements that are found in the Book of Ephesians.
KING
Paul learned that in whatever condition or season of life, to be content. He believed he could do all things through Christ, because He was all that Paul needed. Read Philippians 4:11-13 and meditate on the sufficiency of Christ. Do you believe that He is enough? Why or why not?