Our daily reflections follow the M'Cheyne Bible reading plan, designed for those who want to read the whole Bible in one year. Each reflection focuses on one of the chapters from that day's readings. Darllenwch rhain yn Gymraeg.
Lord, prepare me to receive your word. Clear my mind and warm my heart. Assure me of your loving purposes for me, and speak into my life today.
In Colossians, Paul lays out a vision of Christian living focused on the person of Jesus. The first chapter contains a lyrical passage, almost a hymn, in which he unpacks the implications of the incarnation. Christ is the 'visible likeness of the invisible God', he says (verse 15). He is the agent of creation (verse 16) and reconciliation (verse 20). As the head of the Church, he is 'the source of the body's life' (verse 18).
The Gospels give us a picture of a very human Jesus – though one who says and does extraordinary things. In this passage, it's as though Paul lifts the car bonnet and shows us the workings of the engine: he describes the nature of Christ, in a way the Gospel writers do not. By doing this, he shows us Jesus in another light. He is not just our friend and brother, but God himself made flesh.
In her novel about the life of the medieval scholar Peter Abelard, Helen Waddell has one of her characters point to a felled tree and say, 'That dark ring there, it goes up and down the whole length of the tree. But you only see it where it is cut across. That is what Christ's life was; the bit of God that we saw.'
In Colossians, Paul makes extraordinary claims for who Jesus was. In his earthly life, we see the words and acts of God himself.
God, thank you that in Jesus you came to this world to rescue us and make us your friends. Help me to live faithfully, established on a sure foundation.
This reflection was written by Mark Woods, Bible Society's Editor
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