Colossians Study Blog #11

Colossians 3:18-25
Lesson # 11

Hey friends! Did you miss me?
More importantly, have you missed pondering the passages of Colossians?

I think it is no coincidence that the last verse we looked at was "Watever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father" (3:17, NASB).

See, the past few weeks I've been traveling and serving the Lord through writing and speaking...my calling. Many times I've thought about this verse, and how it really doesn't matter what we are doing on this earth, as long as we are glorifying God.

How awesome it is to have the honor to glorify Him through sharing His gospel through written and spoken word. Glory to God!

So, this week's passage gives us a little peek in to some practical ways we are to live this Christian life. In contrast to the voices of the world, we as wives are to respect and be subject to our husbands. Not a doormat. A life giving helpmate that recognizes God's design for the home and our life as "one".

Can I digress here for a moment? Ladies - don't talk bad about your hubby while your out with your friends. Don't slam him for every little thing he can't do! As "two that have become one" you not only disrespect him, you slam the bond between you, and really, you bash God Himself...who holds your marriage together. I often jolt myself out of my "picking party" by realizing that God was there when we made our vows, and that He is an active part of our covenant of marriage. So, talk bad about your man, and you're talking bad about the God who joins you! (I know, this is a lifelong challenge for all of us...but it deserved mention...)

Men, as we are trying to do this whole respect and "being subject to" thing, your role is to love us and not be "embittered" against us. Be patient with us! After all, sometimes a little chocolate and a venti latte will change our whole outlook and emotional response.

Give us time, and love.
We're on your side!

Ahh. Verse 20. In our house, with a pre-teen who is just about on the brink of knowing everything there is to know about life, this verse warms my heart. In fact, I think I'll make a refrigerator magnet of this verse today. In large print. "Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord." Yep. God's happy when kids obey their parents.

Can I go so far as to say that God's happy when Momma's happy? Well, maybe not...

We also see that dads need to give a portion of grace and tenderness to their kids, just like they need to do for the women in their lives. How many times have we, as moms, said to our kids, "just you wait until you Dad gets home!" He's the final say on so many issues. Yet here, the Word encourages those same men to have balance in reaction.

Verse 22 has meaning for us today, even though it refers to "slaves". Think of any situation where you have an authority over you. Work place. Ministry. Political systems. Governments. Do just give lip service and shallow agreement to those over you -- serve others and obey authority because you are a person of integrity, and such a response matters to God.

Mean what you say.

Do you notice something familiar about verse 23? It is much like verse 17, isn't it? God is clearly reinforcing a truth so that we understand the necessity of it. "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than men."

Whatever you do.

Even going to the grocery store, or running daily errands. We are a people who should glorify God in all things, and respond in Christian love in every situation. Verses 24 and 25 confirm this thought, by acknowleding that God gives the reward of inheritance to those who follow His ways, and reinforcing that even in the world, we serve Jesus first.

And, to end on a strong note, read verse 25 with me: "For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality."As a parent I've said these type words often.

We are accountable for our actions, and tough consequences follow bad choices.

I pray you have a wonderful week, and I challenge you to look at this passage again in your quiet time this week.

How can you improve your reactions and interactions with the relationships we've mentioned in this lesson?