Day Seven - Fixing our Minds on Christ

The mystery is this: Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Thanks for coming back to walk through our daily devotions through the book of Colossians!

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for His body, that is, the church. I have become its servant, according to God’s administration that was given to me for you, to make God’s message fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to His saints. God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. I labor for this, striving with His strength that works powerfully in me.
 Colossians 1:24-29

I read very recently that the measure of a teacher is not in what she knows, but in what her students know. Those words rang true in this passage because Paul is not after being recognized. His goal is not in being a highly acclaimed servant of God. His goal is to fulfill the mission that God gave Him: the administration to proclaim the mystery to the Gentiles. The mystery is this: Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Do you know what God’s glory means? It’s when He makes Himself recognizable. It’s when we can say, “I see you in this, God!” It’s Christ in us that makes God visible to the people around. That’s what Paul wanted us all to know. That mystery still remains today: Christ is us, the hope of glory.

I have written a Bible study called Victorious. In it, we look at Queen Esther and her life. Did you know that the name of God is not mentioned in the book of Esther? One of the themes of Victorious is that God’s powerful hand exists even when He can’t be seen.  Sometimes we have to look at evidence of God’s activity, even when we can’t see Him. That’s what our lives are to portray. What we are to be shining for Jesus is this: Christ in us, the hope of glory.

Paul makes it clear that doing the Lord’s work is not easy. He talks often about how he labors, suffers and strives. It’s not an easy thing to follow hard after the Lord, but it’s valuable and worth it.

Today’s Challenge

Evaluate whether you are shining for Christ and fulfilling God’s assignment for you. Examine your attitudes and your words. As the Lord to help you in any way you are falling short as His ambassador.

Be blessed today as you are strengthened by the Word of God.  I’ll see you back here tomorrow as we continue our daily devotions.

To view the video devotion, click here.

Cathy McIntosh is the author of Victorious: Finding Triumph When Hope Seems Lost. When you can’t see God’s activity in your situation, you might begin to feel hopeless. You’re tempted to doubt His care and involvement in your life because He feels so . . . absent. Victory feels elusive as if God intends it for everyone but you.

But God is never absent. He is as involved in your life today as He was when He protected Queen Esther and the entire Jewish nation from annihilation, and He will bring victory.  Click here to purchase.