Colossians 1:24 – Paul says, I rejoice in my sufferings for you… to complete what is lacking… or… fill up what which is behind of the affliction of Christ
I cannot do anything to bring about redemption… I cannot give salvation… but I have a place in the process of revealing salvation.
Will we be “gap fillers” or “barriers” or “speed bumps”?
While we cannot bridge the gap between man and God… no… there is but ONE Mediator between God, Jesus Christ is his name. (1Timothy 2:5)
I am mindful of the words of Job… if only there was someone who could lay hold of me and lay hold of God… a mediator (Job 9:33)
Yes there IS someone, and his name is Jesus, fully God and became fully man to bring us to God. there is no other name… there is no other way, truth, life… just one mediator…
His suffering on the cross provided the payment. His willful humiliation to empty himself, become a servant for me cannot be duplicated, replicated, nor replaced…
And yet, there IS suffering in all service, and so I am, we should be, willing to suffer for the advancement of the gospel of Christ.
People have not heard or cannot see, perhaps they have not comprehended, and so, will we fill in the gap… complete in our flesh what is lacking? Again, don’t misunderstand me… Christ said, It is Finished… and so it is available, but our goal is… until all have seen, heard, recognized, to fill in the gap, whatever is missing in them seeing, hearing, knowing, and receiving.
If they cannot see Christ, may they see Christ IN us.
I think of something as simple as when I’ve played golf with someone who is positioned where they cannot see the flag from their position because of hill or barrier. So, as a playing partner, I stood on the hill, between them and the flag and said, “aim here”.
Oh but too often, we position ourselves on the wrong things, whether politics or preferences and say, “aim here” when we should be pointing them to Jesus. Or worse yet, we become a barrier that prevents people from seeing, hearing, or coming to Jesus.
Jesus STILL is the answer for the world today.
Don’t be a barrier or a speed bump – NO – Paul continues in Colossians 1:25, I have become its servant… to God’s commission… to make the word (logos) of God fully known (pleroo = accomplish, make complete) – Oh, let’s fix our efforts on the completion of the task…
v26 to reveal the hidden mystery… that… 27 the Gentiles might also know the glorious wealth… that Christ IN YOU… is the Hope of Glory
That is our work, to come to people who do not know, haven’t seen or heard, and say, “this is the way to Hope, it’s Christ in you”.
Suffering? No… not really… that word also means “Passion”. Any suffering that aligns with our Passion and Purpose… isn’t really suffering.
Our Passion and Purpose is for the Presence of Jesus to be known
