Paul asks in Colossians 1:9-10 for God to fill his audience with the knowledge of His will in order that they "may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way." How so? Here's the list:
-bearing fruit in good works
-growing in one's knowledge of God
-being strengthened with His power to enable endurance and patience
-joyfully giving thanks to God who has qualified us to share in His Kingdom
The list translated? Blessing. Blessing. Blessing. Blessing.
Funny how that works. That knowledge and obedience to God's will and Word ushers in blessing, yet often we see it as sacrificial, taxing, noble, "super-spiritual". Like we struggle and wrestle with God when we should be embracing the blessing. Like we think that what we have by picking and choosing which commands we like is so much better than anything He could possibly give through utter obedience. Like we pat ourselves on the back for making noble allegiances to God or singing songs about surrendering it all, but in reality we cling tightly to our plans, our dreams, our desires, our strategies, our rational, our traditions and our appetites for the world's treasure.
I laugh so easy and yet struggle so much with these same things. And I realize that God did good naming Israel "Israel". Real good. One who wrestles with God. The identity we have all inherited.
All of life is a race. Everyone gets a set of starting blocks. Everyone has a finish line. Those are the only two guarantees of life. . . but how will we use the miles in between?
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