A Study in Colossians

I recently started going to a Community Bible Study group in my area, and we are studying Colossians. We are only one week in, and I have already gaining so much from studying this book. I have a lot of things to share with my readers about what Christ is doing in my life through this bible study, but I thought I would start with something I read last night. I am going to quote our study book. This was in regards to the Character of a Saint. (Colossians 1:2)

“The Greek word translated holy in the NIV is the word also used for saint. It is hagios and is used 229 times to describe ordinary people in the new testament. In classical Greek, hagios indicated a person who caused awe, amazement, respect. In the adjective form it means clean. In the Greek religion it was used of the most beautiful and sacred items in a temple-things not accessible for public use, reserved for the use of the gods.

Therefore, when Paul calls the Colossians holy, or saints, he is calling them vessels cleaned and set apart for God’s pleasure and personal use.”

What an amazing statement of a group of peoples lives. That they were thought of as holy and pleasing to the Lord. To think of my life as a vessel cleaned out, set apart, and reserved for God’s personal use, is amazing. “But, I could never live a life holy and pleasing….” That’s just it, Christ is what makes us presentable. Here’s another quote from the study that says it far better than I ever could.

Our holiness, is something that God gives us as a gift. God sees us as holy because of what Jesus did on the cross to pay for our sin. God looks at you and declares you to be a person who is clean, set apart, available, and useful..”

What Christ did for me overwhelms me. The thought he looks at me, a sinner, who fails daily, and says, “You are clean, You are useful!” is so amazing. As a mother it is easy to get caught up in the life of being a mother. We make ourselves available to our children, and so often forget to make ourselves available to God. I know for me, thinking that I am useful to him when I am covered in spit up, haven’t had time to shower, still have a sink full of dishes, and lost it and yelled at the kids, is very difficult. What could he possibly need me for? So I don’t make myself available for him to use me as he see’s fit because, well, I don’t see it.

Last night, after reading this, I started thinking about a few things that God had laid on my heart to do, that I still haven’t done. I keep telling myself that I need to prepare more, and grow more in Christ. I keep feeling like I am  not worthy, and thinking of people who are much better choices than me. Therefore, I haven’t done any of those things yet. So I began to pray about them, and asking God to help me with my insecurities. I want to make myself available to be used by him in anyway he sees fit.

 

I really love community Bible Studies. I would encourage you to see if there is one in your area, and get connected.