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6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ; 12 when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, 14 erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it. 16 Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. 17 These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking, 19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God. (Colossians 2:6-19 NRSV)
Happy Tuesday, dear Friend! As we pray today, please pray for the family of Mr. José (Joe) David Martinez, who died this past weekend in Edinburg, Texas. Mr. Martinez was a friend of mine since his birth, being the son of a dear friend and active lay leader of the Río Grande Conference of the United Methodist Church. I knew of and worked alongside Mr. Samuel Martinez for many years, and Joe David was active in UMYF and later in campus ministry at UTPA. May God bring comfort and peace to the Martinez family.
A pastor shared how his life changed when a mentor of his told him in reponse to the pastor sharing how he read at least six chapters from the Bible a day. "Give all of that up and just fall in love with Jesus!" he told him. At first he did not know what that meant or what that involved, but he started to understand what the older minister meant. How do you interpret that?
Falling in love is an earth shattering experience. No longer does much matter outside of the object of your love. Your every thought, your every desier is on that person! You long for a note, a text, an email, a letter or a phone call - just to connect and once again enjoy each other's company. When Nellie and I were talking on the phone during her I-can't-go-out-with-you phase, how I longed to have her sit with me in church! I even asked her to read a responsive reading for our midweek service (which we never did, but intern minister here thought "She'll have to sit with me since she's on the program!"). Nope. I sat alone. And when I called on her she came from the very back where she normally sat, stood in the lecturn, enduring the giggles of those-in-the-know, read the leader's part, we responded, and back to the back she went. FAIL. But I got to see her up close and later that night by phone I asked why and she again said she didn't want me to get in trouble with the internship committee that might affect my grade! Sigh. I tried. And that's what love is, isn't it? Trying? And trying again? And never ever feeling like giving up because of the power of love.
The Apostle Paul helped new converts come to faith and show them all they needed to know about Jesus and in this passage he urges believers to live their lived in Jesus, rooted in Him and established in the faith and whose strong foundation has allowed for them to have grown in Him; spirits blessed and filled with faith; hearts filled with love and overflowing with thanksgiving for this new life. Paul says this is something to celelbrate for in celebrating we stay grounded and rooted and not easily swayed away by idle philosophies or empty deceits or as the modern Message Bible says, "Everything of God gets expressed in him, so you can see and hear him clearly. You don't need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him."
Paul also reminds us of our spiritual transformation: we have died with Christ and been raised to new life through faith in God’s power. The rules, regulations, and systems that once condemned us no longer define us. Christ has “disarmed the rulers and authorities” and triumphed over them (v. 15). In Him, we are truly free. And freedom, as we discuessed yesterday, means our moving forward to do all God expects and be exactly what God has called us to be truly and deeply in love with Jesus!
We’re encouraged not to let others disqualify us or pull us into legalism, false humility, or spiritual showmanship Instead, we hold fast to Christ—the Head of the body—through whom we grow, not by effort alone, but by grace and connection. May we learn to boldly express our love for our Savior in ways that draw others to do the same.
PRAYER: Gracious God, thank You for rooting me in the love and truth of Christ. Help me to remain grounded in Him when the world offers substitutes. Let my life reflect the fullness I have received in Jesus. Strengthen me to grow in faith, love, and wisdom as I follow Him each day. This we pray in Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Take a moment to reflect: Are you drawing your strength and identity from Christ—or from something else? Re-center your heart on Jesus today through prayer, Scripture, or conversation with a fellow believer. Let your roots grow deeper.
I love you and I thank God for you!
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.