The Fullness of God (JYJWJ)

For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

Colossians 2:9-10

 You pour the coffee, get your Bible and journal, grab that favorite pen and find a quiet spot. You open your Bible feeling unsure. Your mind wanders to your To Do list and you fumble for  a task pad, writing down that thing to be done, only to realize that your mind has begun to assault you with the 14 other things you know you need to do and suddenly instead of feeling peace FULL, you are feeling peace deprived, distracted and thinking that this quiet time stuff might be for the birds; because no matter how hard you try to make it happen…it just never happens in a way that works for you. As a matter of fact, it leaves you feeling either like an epic failure or like one more thing to do on an already overwhelming list of things to do, that ain’t getting done either.

Oh, friend, I can’t tell you how often I have come to Jesus FULL of myself, only to have him show me that it is not MY fullness but His that is needed, and the emptiness that precedes the filling comes by sitting in His presence. Even then, there are times when He will allow circumstances to arise that reveal I am still a long way from Home. Usually some event where my response is not exactly gracious occurs and I am surprised at what bubbles to the surface. I am quickly reminded of how much more of Jesus I need to fill my empty spaces, and also to remove those less than gracious places that still reside within me awaiting His transforming grace.

 Have you ever come to your morning quiet time feeling empty? 

Then, friend, you may well be ahead of the game. Because the God of the Universe – the One who created you and the stars, too…He longs to fill you. Is filling you now, if you have already allowed His grace into the space you occupy in the here and now. Who can grasp this? Who can sit before Him and say, I am content in what I know about Him that I am looking no further?

Wake Up, People!

Can we grasp this God? 

You can study Him, and never know Him. He is not to be studied like a cadaver in med school.

You can talk about Him- about all you know about Him. That does not mean you really KNOW Him. He is not a celebrity to be idolized, talked about as if He is not present.

You can believe you are serving God by doing good things without ever bowing the knee and acknowledging Him as Lord of All.

In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:3

He is The One True Living God!  He is the God of Old, New and Always. He is the One who was and is and IS to come. He never  changes, and He is mighty to save. He is the Everlasting Father, The Alpha and Omega, the promised Messiah, Lord of All. His name is Jesus and there is NO other God. Jesus is who He said He was, and make no bones about it, friends, He claimed to be one with the One, Eternal God.

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the God who created all- the Ancient of Days who set into motion a plan before the foundation of the world to Redeem. From Bulls and goats and blood of rams, this Holy one, the Great I Am…has come to stay in the land, and through His one amazing plan redeem those who are willing…to take His hand.

Take His hand, friends.

He will lead you…

Some Thoughts for the Journey:

Sometimes I will read through a book of The Bible and highlight scripture that I want to go back to for further study, or research. That means sometimes I am NOT writing but absorbing information or mulling the word further. I write scripture out because for me there is a connection in the action of writing. It allows me to fully engage the words. I read and forget; I write and remember. Some verses are written over and over through the years, appearing again in various translations in my journals.

Scribes wrote out and memorized scripture…there is a connection. Perhaps you could write out the verses that are most calling to you, then pray for God to give you deeper understanding. If there is something that keeps coming back to you, seek out a word study through the concordance, or look in your Hymnal for the topic. See where this leads.

Sing a song of worship to the Lord as you seek Him.

Have you ever read your Bible aloud during your quiet time? I once recorded myself reading Psalm 119 (as much as I hated the way I sounded). Read Scripture to the Lord, talk to Him about it. He is present.

What is one thing you can do this week during your quiet time that might help “wake you up” to the God who is present always? 

Leave your thoughts, comments and/or questions below. If there anything I can help you with, just let me know.

Oh, and for those who have asked, I have been camped out in Colossians, and the Psalms (1-5), but may be moving into 1 and 2 Thessalonians for this week along with continuing into the Psalms. At least that is where I feel the Lord is leading me now. So here is how my Journaling Journey with Jesus has gone up til now: Titus; Psalm 34, 145; Colossians; Romans 12-16; Psalms 1-5.  Praying for your journey! Follow Him!

Linking with Marissa @ Cozy Reading Spot – pop on by!