March through Colossians - Here We Go!

Well we didn't get started on March 1st, but I only thought of this idea on Sunday morning, so we all needed time to gather our thoughts! But here we go.

Hopefully you've taken the time today to read the whole book of Colossians straight through in one sitting. I'm wondering what that was like for you. It probably took about 10 minutes (if you weren't interrupted), and I'm guessing you felt some of the following:

• "Pretty cool. I can't remember the last time I sat down and read a whole book of the Bible straight through. Helps to see the big picture."
• "I'm feeling like I drank from a firehouse just now. I'm not sure what to think, and I'm not sure that I really understood what Paul was saying to say to the Colossians."
• "If I ever write a letter to a church, I'm going to pack all that I have to say in the first chapter and the last chapter, because I can pretty much guarantee that folks are going to drift off somewhere in chapter 2, and then wake back up somewhere in chapter 4."
• "What a joy to read about the preeminence of Christ, and about the blessings of having been raised with him. I look forward to growing in my understanding of these things."
• "I didn't know that so many verses I recognized were in Colossians!"
• "How come we aren't seeing more kids being named Aristarchus?"

Regardless of your initial reaction, I do know that your reading of the whole book today (remember: the forest) will help you make sense of your reading of the parts in the days ahead (remember: the trees). You will see connections you would not have seen otherwise. Your understanding of treasured verses will expand as you come to see them in light of the flow of the book. You will begin to grasp how deep and wide and rich and multifaceted God's written revelation is. And by the power of the Spirit working in the Word, you will be changed to be more like Jesus.

Keep it up. 1:1-5a tomorrow. Read slowly. Read prayerfully. Read expectantly. Read patiently. And read as if God were sitting across the table from you, speaking to you His life-changing Word.