Now What?

NOW WHAT?

It’s cloudy today, and so are our times.

Everyday seems to bring more warnings and restrictions. Isn’t it good to know that we have a God who is all-powerful, all-knowing, gracious, compassionate, full of tender mercies toward us, faithful, knowing us intimately – Is anything too hard for Him?

Surely, we can trust Him.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us (Romans 8:31-32; 35; 37).

Trusting Him doesn’t guarantee we won’t get sick or have financial hardship, but it does mean we can be comforted that our times our in His hands (Psalm 31:15a).

Whatever happens we won’t go through it alone (Hebrews 13:5b).

How does that rate compared to toilet paper?

We will be okay.

Maybe we should ask ourselves, “What does the Lord want from us during this time?”

In Colossians, Paul thanks God and reminds the church at Colossae what God has done for them and who Jesus is in chapter one. In chapter 2, he refutes the false teaching they were facing. Paul switches gears in chapter 3, focusing on personal application – because of the truths in chapters one and two – what is our response?

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you will also will be revealed with Him in glory (Colossians 3:1-4).

It may sound cliché, but this is not our home. Although we cannot live in a dream world, we cannot let ourselves be drug down in the mire of fears and worries that overcome the world. According to those verses, we are already dead – what can a virus do?

So, let’s set our minds on things above – on Jesus – what does He want from us in such a time as this?

In the first half of Colossians chapter 3, Paul reminds us what we were and what we need to cast off – like dirty clothes. In the second half, he tells us how to be – what to put on. Those that have been washed typically put on clean clothes.

…since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created Him – (Colossians 3:9b-10).

Genesis chapter one tells us we were all created in the image of God. Of course, sin marred that image, but faith in Jesus restores it. Not only does faith bring salvation, it makes a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Our position is established – our practice… has to be practiced.

So, let’s not run to the store, but to the Word. Let’s ask Him how we can be a blessing today.