Friday 2 February 2007

As you will notice, the entire text from yesterday is being used again. From Colossians 3:

So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (3:1) Set you minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. (3:2-4)
Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. But now you must get rid of all such things - anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all! (3:5-11)

Take advantage of whose you are! Take advantage of the fact that in Christ there is no need to live as though you must be the center of the world or that you must tear down others simply to exist. We are dressed in new clothes. We are identified by the one who is the new age come to life. We are identified by our baptism and we also look out at all people as though they too are new to us. No longer do we see in them what is not us. No longer do we live our lives having to make distinctions between "us" and "them" so that we separate ourselves from others. Now, we live by having our life renewed by our God who also renews in us a life shaped by God's love. When that is the reality in which we live, the presence of the Christ is with us and we engage ourselves in a new way with all who are around us. The death and resurrection of Jesus covers us all - all...for all time. We are graciously invited to see all things through that blessed reality. Rather than trying to be the center of the world (and we do that in both active and passive ways), we can live as though we are already a part of the ongoing creation of God's Reign. That is quite a gift to us. That gift sets us within that blessed Reign of life.

Connection: Christ is all and in all! What a way to look at this day as we go through this day. It is the reality that we have been told is ours.

Blessed are you, O God of Grace, for you help us see our world with new eyes and therefore we are able to engage it anew everyday. Though we continue to try and lived turned-in-on lives, you continue to pull us into the vision of life that you give us for all times. Praise to you, O Lord. Amen.