Living in the Spirit
July 21, 2016

Scripture Reading: Colossians 2:6-19

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. –Colossians 2:6-7

What does it mean to live our lives in Christ? I stumbled on an article recently that shared ways to store vegetables and fruits to keep them fresh longer. Placing fresh asparagus in a glass container with water in its base adds days to asparagus’ “refrigerator life.” Sorry, I cannot quote the source. I think it is a good metaphor illustrating living in Christ where our connectively to Christ contributes to our ability to bear fruit. John 15:5 puts it this way, I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.

Christ expects us to do a lot of hard, often thankless, work. In many instances, like with Abraham, we may never see the fruit of our labors. I have experienced joy in completing tasks that seemed impossible at their start, knowing the rewards of labor for itself. Here Colossians calls us to express thanksgiving to God for the gift Christ is to each of us and all of us and for the honor to be even a small player as we produce fruit in support of his goal of making God’s way, the way of the world.

Living in an age when much work is automated even communications, we are challenged to find new and better ways to do the work of God’s love. What fruit are we producing to bring Christ’s vision to fruition in such a times as this? What is our vision for our role in the rollout of the Kingdom of God? Are we grateful for the opportunity to serve God through Jesus Christ?

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the opportunities to love that you spread before me. Help me to run toward them rather than being so distracted by the busyness of life that I miss the important moments of your calling. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.