Colossians 1:15-16 All Things Were Made By Him
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: September 23, 2020 Colossians 1:15-16
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
(Understanding the Text / Revelation of God) Paul has just finished saying that the Father has transferred the Colossians from the kingdom of darkness (Satan’s kingdom) to the kingdom of His Son (Jesus). Now, Paul starts giving a description of the greatness of the ruler of the Son’s kingdom. The first characteristic is that Jesus is the image of the Father. Only Paul uses the term “invisible God” to describe the Father. If Jesus with His human body is the image of the invisible God, then He must be the image in some way other than physical. In character (in glory) they are the same. We see Jesus, and we can know what the Father is like, even though we cannot see Him. Of course, nowadays we have never seen Jesus either. In many ways to us, He is the invisible God also; however, we have the testimony of those who did see Him. To them, He was never invisible; they touched, smelled, saw, and heard Him (maybe even tasted accidentally, especially when He used spit to heal). From their testimony we can know what God is like when He is seen.
Next, Paul speaks of Jesus being the firstborn of all creation. Some people have interpreted that to mean that Jesus was the first being created, but firstborn can also (indeed usually does in the Bible) mean the heir who rules all others. This meaning is confirmed in the next part of the verses, where it speaks of Jesus as Creator and being above everyone and everything. Paul is saying that the leader of the Colossians’ kingdom of citizenship is supreme above everyone else. Their old pagan gods are nothing because the Colossians are now members of a kingdom where the leader is above everything.
Then Paul speaks of how Jesus created all things. His list includes both heaven and earth. His list includes those things that we can see and that we cannot see. It also includes thrones, rulers, and dominions. Thus, Satan and the angels in rebellion were created by Jesus. They killed their Creator just as surely as humans did. Then Paul says that everything was made by Jesus for Jesus. In other words, the Father and Son cooperated in creation, but Jesus was the active agent, and the Father wanted the Son to enjoy His creation. In the end, we were created for Jesus to love, and He loved us through death and beyond. He wants to love us and continues to love us. He planned to love us before we were created, and He sticks with us until He can recreate us in the beauty that He sees in us even now.
(Application / Prayer) My application for myself is that You loved me. You planned to love me. You want to love me. You are working in me so that I can be the best that I can be, not the best that my flawed weak capabilities now can make me, but the best that You can see in my potential. You won’t give up on me. I belong to Your kingdom, and You want me there. You are with me for the long haul. You won’t give up on me. You love me.