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July 9, 2018 |
“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.” Colossians 2:9-10a (NIV)
Imagine if the honest cry of your heart declared, “I have enough. I need nothing more.”
Women today are bombarded with two diametrically opposed messages: Either we’re told all the ways we are not good enough OR our self-esteem is inflated with false empowerment narratives. Paul speaks to both of these errors, reminding us that our value and identity come not from ourselves (or our accomplishments) but from Christ alone.
When we focus on our own perceived value and worthiness, we lose our sense of awe and wonder at just how magnificent Jesus is. As we navigate this life we will quickly find that alone, we are not enough. But with Him and in Him, we have everything we need, because He is enough.
But do we really believe that He is enough for us today?
Let’s be honest, most of us live yearning for the next thing, me included. Whether it’s as trivial as trying the newest food trend or as spiritual as reading the Bible in a year (finally!), we all long for the next big thing. But before we get to work toward checking that “thing” off our list, we need to consider how we’re going to get there.
For the first-century believers in Colossae, one of the major things on their list was spiritual union with God. They wanted to be right with God, and there was no shortage of people willing to tell them exactly how they could do that. Some argued for religious observances like circumcision, holy days and rules about food. Others suggested angel worship and secret rituals, plus other mystical practices.
These might sound ridiculous to us today, but it’s tempting to hold on to a checklist of things to do — especially when it comes to our relationship with God — because it gives us the illusion of being in control. Paul speaks firmly against these checklist teachings, explaining that those who promote such ideas are not holding on to Jesus. It’s Jesus alone, Paul says, and He is enough. Watch out for anyone who tries to tell you otherwise.
Read that key verse again: “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness” (Colossians 2:9-10a).
Here, Paul states that all the fullness of the deity dwells in Jesus in bodily form … and we have been brought to that fullness through Jesus. United with Him, we are complete, and that reality leads to a thriving life both here and now and also in the age to come.
But maybe you find yourself living in the land of “if only.”
It’s tempting to think that fulfillment in this life or “being enough” is just beyond our reach, if only we stretched our arm out a little farther, but Scripture tells us that the fullness of life is already ours in Jesus Christ, if only we recognize and receive it.
Did you catch that? You’ve been brought to fullness in Christ. There is no other “if only” that will fulfill you. Losing that weight, getting that paycheck, moving into that neighborhood … these things might make you feel better in the moment, but they don’t bring lasting satisfaction because they were never meant to.
The full life is not beyond our reach; It’s already ours in Christ Jesus when we find our satisfaction in Him alone. When we see that we are not enough, that’s OK — because He is enough.
Heavenly Father, I worship You today as the Most High God. You alone are worthy of all my honor and praise. Remind me that I will only ever find full satisfaction in You. Thank You that I don’t have to keep striving to be enough, for it’s only in You that I will have true fullness and joy. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Revelation 5:12b, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” (NIV)
RELATED RESOURCES:
We live in a world of scarcity. We say, “I don’t have enough time … maybe when I have more money … if only I had a little more help …” But Scripture says if we have Jesus, we have enough. Asheritah Ciuciu’s newest Bible study, He is Enough: Living in the Fullness of Jesus, is a 6-week study of Colossians that leads readers to discover the life-altering importance of Jesus’ sufficiency and sovereignty. Click here to order your copy today.
CONNECT:
Asheritah's passion is helping women find joy in Jesus. Connect with her at onethingalone.com. And click here to get your FREE downloads for her new Bible study.
Would you like to win a copy of Asheritah’s latest Bible Study? When you share your thoughts in the comments, you’ll automatically be entered to WIN a copy of He is Enough. To celebrate this new book, Moody Publishers is giving away 5 copies! {We’ll randomly select 5 winners and respond to your comment by Monday, July 16, 2018.}
REFLECT AND RESPOND:
Today, consider what “if only” lies you’ve bought into, and replace them with the truth that Jesus has already given you the fullness of life in Him. Rewrite your “if only” with what is true about Jesus (who He is) and how that transforms this area of your life (who you are).
© 2018 by Asheritah Ciuciu. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries thanks Moody Publishers for their sponsorship of today’s devotion.
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