Colossians 1:24-26 Filling Up What is Lacking
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 29, 2020 Colossians 1:24-26
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.
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.
(Understanding the Text) Paul is not just a servant of Jesus. He is also a servant of the church. He is suffering afflictions for the church, as well as Jesus. He is saying that Jesus’ death was enough for our salvation, but that Paul is suffering to make sure that the Gentiles get the message about Jesus’ death.
Paul is a servant of the church because God placed Him in that capacity. Paul did not choose it from his own judgment. God chose Paul to be in the position. Paul wants to fulfill his duties to God and therefore, to the church competently and completely. God’s duty is to make the word of God fully known. I guess after a while, Paul realized that he was one of the few people who could really expound on the scriptures as they related to the Gentiles. I think others were competent to show Jesus as the predicted Messiah, but few cared to study how the scriptures should be applied to Gentiles. He says that there was a mystery hidden but now revealed to the Christians. That mystery was Jesus, but I think it was also the fact that the Messiah was given not just to the Jews but also to the whole world.
(Revelation of God) God gave a promise way back in Eden. He would take care of the sin problem by crushing the serpent’s head. However, it was a mystery as to how God would handle the situation. Little hints were given here and there. Moses said that the Deliverer would be a prophet like himself. Thus, there was the idea of freedom from slavery and entrance into a special land. Isaiah spoke of the Suffering Servant. Daniel told of the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven. However, God’s plan was still a mystery to people until they saw it lived out by Jesus. Suddenly, all the bits and pieces came together into a beautiful, yet surprising, whole. In many ways, the mystery is still unclear because unregenerated human hearts still cannot fathom God’s ways. However, in another location, Paul promises that one day it will all be clear if we continue following Jesus.
(Application / Prayer) My application for myself is that I am your servant and I need to minister competently and completely in the position where You place me. However, I cannot, so I need Your power in order to fulfill my duties. Be with me and in me so that I will not fail the people that You have given into my care.