Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.

Have you ever marveled at the prowess of your favorite sports stars, YouTubers, actors, or authors during their prime? It's easy to assume they've always been exceptional, but a closer look at their past paints a different picture. In the past, the sports star struggled to secure a spot on the high school varsity team; the YouTuber's first ten videos garnered zero views and seemed amateurish; the actor's initial big break was an inconspicuous role in a low-budget film; and the author's early books barely earned above three-star reviews on Amazon. Their early endeavors, when they were still finding their footing, fell short. However, as they honed their skills and learned from their mistakes, their lives transformed into what we admire today.

We witness a similar pattern unfolding in the opening chapter of Colossians. After Paul's initial greeting to the Colossian church, he proceeds in verses 3-8 by expressing gratitude to God for the reports he's heard about the church members. He commends their faith in Christ and their love for fellow believers, which springs from the hope laid up for them in heaven and the gospel they've embraced. This hope isn't only changing their lives; it's bearing fruit and spreading across the world. While it's evident that these early Christians are fervently devoted to Jesus, it's crucial to recognize that they didn't start out that way.

In this exploration of Scripture, we'll uncover three key elements the Colossians grasped or embodied, enabling them to embrace the Christian lifestyle that disseminated hope in Jesus and the Gospel.

To begin, we must revisit their starting point, akin to viewing their "first YouTube videos." Starting from verse 21, Paul sketches a portrait of their pre-Christian lives (which mirrors our own). He writes, "And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds..." This mirrors the state of all our lives prior to encountering Jesus: estranged from God, harboring a mindset at odds with Him. Essentially, we lived for ourselves while forgetting that, as verse 16 states, we were made by and for Jesus. The Colossians and all of humanity were wandering away from their intended purpose. Yet, God remained steadfast, leading us to verse 22. Here, we learn that Jesus's sacrifice on the cross reconciled us to the Father, restoring our relationship to pre-Fall conditions.

But there's more. The latter part of verse 22 reveals that, in God's eyes, Jesus presents us as holy, unblemished, and beyond reproach. That's our identity! Every morning, we stand before our Heavenly Father as vessels of holiness. We're faultless and blameless without any effort on our part. We wake up just to be His. Not because we earned it, but because Jesus secured it through His life and death. This marks the first crucial element the Colossians comprehended—the starting point of our Christian journey. The Colossians recognized that righteousness before God isn't about striving but about being in Christ. Their new identity transformed their motivations, shifting them from self-centered living to a life devoted to Him.

The second element the Colossians lived by is found in verse 6. Paul notes that they genuinely appreciated God's grace from the moment they heard the gospel. When you think of God's grace, you likely picture His kindness toward humanity. That's accurate, but there's a deeper layer. God's grace is the force empowering and influencing you, enabling you to live out what Christ secured: the Christian life.

This grace reshapes your desires and alters your perspective. It's what keeps you composed when someone cuts you off in traffic when at one time you would have fumed. It's what grants you patience with your kids after a tiring day instead of reacting impulsively. God's grace shifts your focus to compassion for the needy whom you might've previously overlooked. Just as the Colossians understood their standing as holy and blameless, they also embraced God's grace as the driving force that empowered them to fulfill their purpose.

The final element the Colossians embraced is found in verse 7. They had a living example, Epaphras, who demonstrated the disciple's life. This underscores the significance of engaging in a biblical community whether through Sunday gatherings or midweek sessions. Within these settings, we encounter our own "Epaphrases"—living examples of how to live for Christ in our daily lives. You might even be called to be such an example, nurturing the next generation of believers to spread the hope of Jesus and the Gospel to the world.

Takes 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• What is the significance of understanding our true identity in Christ, as highlighted in the first element? How does this perspective impact the way we approach life and relate to God?  
• Consider the concept of God's grace as not just kindness but as empowerment and influence to live out the Christian life. How does this understanding reshape your view of personal growth and transformation? Can you think of specific instances where God's grace has brought about positive change in your behavior or attitudes?
• Reflect on the transformation that took place in the Colossians as they shifted from living for themselves to living for Christ. How does this shift in focus impact our priorities, motivations, and interactions with others? Can you identify areas in your life where this transformation is evident or where it could be nurtured? 
• Prayer: Dear Father, thank You for making me holy, faultless, and blameless in Your sight. Thank You for Your grace that empowers me to not only see myself through that lens but also to see others how You see them. You are making me wiser, sharper, and more compassionate than I ever was before. Surround me with living examples like Epaphras was for the Colossians and continue to guide me to become a living example to others.

Family Devo: Colossians 1

By: Carrie Hobson

When partnering with your family to know, love, and follow Jesus, we strive to create and share content filtered by the Head-Heart-Hands model.

Head: the knowledge of God and His Word | Heart: the personal connection from scripture | Hands: a missional mindset  

Head  

Heart 

Hands