Whenever I read my Bible, I am often using an app on my iPad. Using the iPad makes it easy for me to switch through various versions of the Bible fairly quickly, and it's helpful for me as one translation may use certain words or phrasing that others do not - words that catch my attention or give me insight into what God is trying to say to me on a particular day.
Today is no different - as I looked through various translations and paraphrasings on Colossians 2:6-8, certain words and phrases caught my attention.
First, here is the complete reading in the NIV translation - So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught,and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
What caught my eye in this one?
- "continue to live your lives in Him"
- "rooted and built up in Him"
- "overflowing with thankfulness"
- "no on takes you captive"
- "elemental spiritual forces of this world"
Some others found in other translations that caught me:
- "you must continue to follow Him" (NLT)
- "let your roots grow down into Him" (NLT)
- "let your lives be built on Him" (NLT)
- "walk [regulate your lives and conduct yourselves] in union and conformity to Him" (Amplified)
- "Have the roots [of your being] firmly and deeply planted [in Him, fixed and founded in Him], being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving." (Amplified)
- "See that no one carries you off as spoil" (Amplified)
- "idle fancies and plain nonsense" (Amplified)
The Message stated a portion of this reading in a really understandable way for me: "School's out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving."
What are you trying to say to me, God? Why these words and phrases?
I think ultimately, I am being called to move on - school is out on gathering and storing up knowledge, and filling my brain with all I can gather about doing life in Jesus' name. I need to now trust that, through my faith in Him, I'm equipped and more than able to live life out of that faith. I can see, do, say, act, think - and be confident that it comes from Him if (and this is a big IF) I stay deeply rooted in Him. When I stay to connected, rooted, fully absorbed, I am able to discern what the callings, temptations and distractions of this world are vs. what the Holy Spirit is calling and leading me towards. AND (and this is a HUGE AND) it all spills over into thanksgiving!
As I'm absorbing this truth, I'm also grasping that this is a continual process - learning, growing, doing, AND giving thanks. As I learn more, I grow more deeply rooted. As I do, I grow more deeply rooted, and I am able to discern the world from the Spirit. As I live, it all spills into thanksgiving.
Hmmmm......and as I write this, I find myself more and more drawn to the portion about overflowing with thankfulness.
Why didn't I originally seen that as a main step? I went and added it into the paragraph above after processing a while? Why can't I leave that topic now?
Is it because my old wineskin has parameters on what "thankfulness" looks like? feels like? Is it because I am pre-determining what thankfulness can be?
I think I'm going to stick with this phrase a bit longer -- "and you will overflow with thankfulness".
God, what are you trying to say to me? What do I need to do about it?
How did today's reading impact you?
Lisa
