THURSDAY 31st
Colossians 1:24-29
NIV (v29) – ‘To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.’
ESV (v29) – ‘For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.’
I also add here today from the CSB ‘I labour for this, striving with his strength that works powerfully in me.’
There is something in this verse that tells us how much Paul cared for the Churches he had pioneered and planted, in the previous verse he says that he has proclaimed Christ, warning and teaching everyone so that he may see them presented as mature in Christ. He wanted all who had received the message of the gospel to be mature believers, and for this to happen he was working hard to ensure it. We can see how hard Paul had worked, 1) because of the many letters he has written, 2) the many miles he had travelled and 3) in all that he had suffered to be able to do it.
Paul seemed at all times to put the believers before himself, and it wasn’t always easy, but he knew that what he was doing was not under his own steam, it was done through the enabling of the power of God upon his life. I guess we could say that in his own strength, or through his own ability he would not have achieved very much, he may have given up after a few hurdles, but no, his strength came not out of himself but from above. We know of the one occasion when Paul was suffering in some way, he pleaded with God to take the source of his problem away, but the reply he had was ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ (2 Corinthians 12:9) May we never underestimate the power of God, and in our own lives realise that the same power that was available to Paul is available to us, and be determined to toil and strive in the strength that God supplies. We have looked at Ephesians 1:19 before, but let’s remind ourselves of what it says about the greatness of that power, it is immeasurable –, it created all things, it sustains all things, it was at work on the Cross and in the tomb, making it possible for the vilest of sinners to be made holy, for the Cross is the power of God unto salvation. It is constantly at work transforming the lives of all who come by faith and believe, it is available through the outpouring and infilling of the Holy Spirit, it is available as God continues to pour his grace into our lives on a daily basis, it is available as we spend time in prayer, and around his Word and in fellowship. And Paul recognised this, he toiled, or struggled or strived to do all that God had purposed him to do through the energy that Christ so powerfully worked through him.
At this moment I recall the ‘I am the true vine’ statement of the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 15:1) The narrative is all about us as the branches being connected to the Vine to enable us to bear fruit, the connection is essential, and Paul had this vital connection to the Vine, which allowed the energy (power) from the Vine to be transmitted into his life as a branch, and as a result he could do what he was doing and be fruitful.
May we remain connected to the Vine, so that his power may be evident as it flows into our lives, enabling us to be strengthened to toil and to strive in all that he is calling us to do.