Title: Life of Dream/Colossians 1:1-9
Content Dream life
Text: Colossians 1:1-9
1. It is a life filled with knowing the will of God.
Among believers, there are those who easily say that it is the will of God. But it cannot be known unless the spiritual sense is revived. It is only an illusion to say that we know God's will without a spiritual sense. To know God's will is not to know it with worldly knowledge or experience. If it is known from worldly theory or experience, it is not said to be divine. The Apostle Paul always tells us what he prayed for for the Colossian church. “May ye fill all spiritual wisdom and understanding with the knowledge of the will of God” (verse 9). Knowing the will of God is wisdom and understanding.
Wisdom in the text refers to insight. Insight is the power to know something with certainty. Generosity refers to discernment. Discernment is the power to determine with certainty what is right and what is wrong. In the end, insight and discernment are knowing the will of God. It is difficult for a fallen human to have insight and discernment. This is because man is confined within the boundaries of what he wants to see and discern by what he has created and influenced. This is because humans are determined and judged by their preferences and what they already know by their style. The will of man himself cannot be holy and righteous. Humans don't know how stupid they are. They even lay down their own lives for material things. When you put all your time and effort into making money, but forget why you are making it, you become a slave.
2. We must grow in knowing God.
For this purpose, we learn that it is the love that God generously crucified His only begotten Son. Therefore, do not try to obey first, but first try to know God's will properly. When we truly know God's will of true love, the life of enjoying grace in our lives is manifested as obedience. Because this obedience comes from a life in debt of grace, joy comes in everything. When we can discover and discern God's will in the midst of suffering, when we are sure of the love that God loves us so much, suffering is only a source of God's glory. You will discover the will of God that God wants to work with you in the midst of that hardship. He makes us bear fruit in all these good works. That good work is the fruit of God's will. The fruit of God's will is the fruit of love and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 6:22,23). It is the fruit of being used. This very power comes from the power of glory. This power of glory naturally bears fruit, so there is no law forbidding it.
As you grow in knowing God in this way, your spiritual strength will grow even more. Look at the figure of David, the father of faith. When David discerns and judges God's will in his life with all his heart, he can deliver beautiful praise in the midst of suffering. This is why in today's text verse 11, joy leads to all patience and long-suffering. Therefore, that praise becomes a praise of perseverance, performed in hope with faith. In the end, praises of thanks for using a poor person like yourself as co-workers resound. Only a life with spiritual sensitivity with insight and judgment that fills us with knowing God's will and makes us grow in knowing God will be a fruitful life. This is a full and rewarding life. It's not good because it's fancy, expensive, and comfortable clothes, but it's a life that I live with gratitude for protecting my body, even though it's dirty but clean. Although it is old and sometimes breaks down, I live my life with gratitude for the car that moves me to work.
Although it is small and narrow, it is a life that I live with gratitude because there is an area where I can lie down comfortably. “May we give thanks to the Father, who made us worthy to receive the part of the inheritance of the saints in the light” (verse 12). It is in a life that you give yourself to grow. This is the reason we seek his kingdom and righteousness first. Prioritize knowing and fulfilling God's will as your main goal in life. This life is not a wasted life, it is an investment life.