All Things Created For Him

     Haven't blogged in a while.  Hope all is well out there with everybody.  Read a piece of scripture that really spoke to me this weekend. It was in St. Paul's letter to the Colossians.  I was drawn to it during my weekly prayer meeting on Sunday.  This Tuesday, as I was reading The History of the Christian Church, by Philip Schaff, I ran across it again.  God sure has a way of highlighting what he wants us understand sometimes.  So I decided it needed to be thought through and shared with you all.

Colossians 1:16-18

16 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. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

      It's important for us all to wrestle with this concept.  As we look out into the world we see governments, employers, church leaders, etc. who impose on us certain rules and ideas that seek to influence our decisions and world views.  As we walk in this world, too often we limit ourselves to these mind sets only to place God in some box that has to fit into another category, moulded around the rest of our preprogrammed ideas as if he was just an afterthought to be used at our convienence.  We should be instead moulding our worldly structures around Him and His ways.  Then our ideas would instead match His, and not the other way anound.  This world would become a much more Glorious place to live. 

     Remember, He is our CREATOR!! All other institutions, authorities, and ideas were created by Him, and held together by Him.  THEY are the afterthoughts and were never created for us to use for ourselves, but instead were meant to Glorify Him.  He who was first, the last, and everything in between.  This is all for Him, and has nothing to do with us.  We are to die to ourselves daily and take root in His purposes for this world and his church. 

Note about Churches

      Paul also emphasizes here that he is also the head of the church, above any donominational institution or pastor, (verse 18).  He should be thought of as the head pastor of any church.  Our church leaders should be held accountable for this.  If a church leader is not leading in a manner that is surrendered to Christ, but instead is leading on his own plan, he will not build up a church that can be used effectively for God's purposes.  Now that being said, all of God's ministers will fall short of the Glory of Christ, but they should continually seeking Christ for direction and purpose and should be surrounded by other church elders that will keep his motives in line with God's plan for His church.

 I hope God can speak to you all through this passage in Colossians as he did for me.  And I hope your lives have been blessed this week.  Stay strong in His love.  Until next time.