The superlatives of God

We are taught when writing to avoid superlatives. People who use extreme adjectives like “fabulous,” “magnificent,” and “splendid” are usually exaggerating the situation. However, when the writers of the Bible spoke of the blessings of God upon His children, they used the strongest of terms they knew; here are a few examples:

—His love “surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:19)
—His gift of salvation is “indescribable” (2 Corinthians 9:15)
—His life is “to the full” (John 10:10)
—His grace is “sufficient” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Paul, writing to the discouraged Corinthians, said that through God we are “made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God (II Corinthians 9:11).

Are you feeling down? Do you wish you had more of the riches of this world? Remember the superlatives of God!

Learn to love dandelions

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:1-4

“There are times when you cannot understand why you cannot do what you want to do. When God brings the blank space, see that you do not fill it in, but wait. The blank space may come in order to teach you what sanctification means; or it may come after sanctification to teach you what service means. Never run before God’s guidance. If there is the slightest doubt, then He is not guiding. Whenever there is doubt—don’t.” Oswald Chambers

Oftentimes we go through blank or dark spaces or as I refer to it as a funk. During these times, I want to do anything and everything I can to move out of these periods as quickly as possible. I want to feel good about me and my life. Iam often like the man who tried to rid his yard of dandelions. He tried everything he knew to stop them from going in his otherwise beautiful lawn. Finally, out of desperation he wrote the Department of Agriculture and begged for a solution. He so wanted that perfect lawn, green, smooth and flawless. He was not pleased with the answer he received, “We suggest you learn to love dandelions.”

Life is full of dark places or funks (dandelions). Rather than trying to rid our lives of them, perhaps we need to learn that God places such things in our lives to move us closer to him (or further away from other things). His ultimate goal for us is not enjoyment, but fulfillment and being made in the likeness of His Son. Flaws make us see what we are not, but His love and grace, show us what we can become (see 2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

Be careful of false teaching

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. Colossians 2:8

There are many various philosophies and teachings; it is difficult to sort out what is true. Paul’s warning is direct: See to it that no one takes you captive. Captive means “to carry away” or “kidnap.” Here it refers to someone being carried away from the truth into the slavery of error. Scripture teaches that anything is false if it lures us away from an unswerving devotion to the absolute supremacy of Christ.

This is not a blanket indictment against all philosophy. The reference here is to the particular philosophy, as seen in Paul’s description that follows, being promoted by the false teachers. This philosophy is hollow and deceptive, literally, an empty deception which stands in stark contrast to the fullness in Christ. The hollow and deceptive philosophy of the false teachers promises much but delivers nothing.

Rooted and Strengthened

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7

When we stop going forward, we stall; when we stall, we can fall. We received Christ Jesus as Lord; now we are to continue to live with him as our Lord. We should conduct every area of our lives in conscious submission to the lordship of Jesus Christ.

Plants without roots become tumbleweeds. It is the same for Christians that are not rooted in Christ; they are blown about by every wind of doctrine or any new appealing idea that comes along. Roots don’t exist for themselves: they exist to give the plant strength and help the plant get its necessary nutrients. The plant grows naturally when it is living in the right environment (rooted and strengthened). We grow naturally in Christ as live a faithful life, relying on his grace (just as we were taught).

One of the natural outcomes of a growing spiritual life is thankfulness. A thankful believer is not easily led away from Christ. A discontented, grumbling, whiny believer, however, will be easy prey for false teachers who are more than willing to offer “just what you’ve been missing.”

Paul's message

We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. Colossians 1:28-29

I love the saying, “For God so loved the world that he didn’t send a committee.” The gospel is not a system, hierarchy, or set of regulations; it is the person and work of Jesus. Paul’s purpose was “to present everyone perfect in Christ.” And, he was willing to work and suffer to relay that message.

Paul used the term “struggling,” which occurs here and in the next verse (2:1), was used of athletes who painfully pursued athletic glory. Paul claimed, however, that his struggle was accompanied by God’s energy which energized him. We work hard, but Christ is at work in us; we are willing to suffer, but Christ gives us the strength and protection not to be burdened beyond what we, through His strength, can bear.

Rejoice in Suffering?

Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness. Colossians 1:24-25

The world today is all about pleasure and happiness. We go out of our way to make sure that our lives are filled with happiness and to avoid suffering at all costs. Paul reminds us in this passage that life includes suffering. The good news for the believer is that God uses suffering to make us more like Jesus and to mold and mature our character.

Paul knew suffering “up close and personal.” This letter to the church at Colosse was written from prison. He certainly wasn’t in prison by his own choice, however, he used his sufferings on behalf of others and because it allowed him to identify with Jesus Christ. When Paul says he is filling up what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, he isn’t saying that Jesus’ suffering on the cross was insufficient. On the contrary, Paul’s attitude is Jesus took the punishment for him; and that suffering brings about an identification with the Savior that nothing else can.


Philippians 3:10-11, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

Established and firm in the faith

“…if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.” Colossian 1:23

Paul is worried whether the Colossians will remain faithful, as he later states that he is confident they have understood what it means to be reconciled they will remain faithful to the gospel that reconciled them (Col. 2:5). He writes this as an expression both of confidence and as a warning to avoid the religious fads of the false teachers. It is obvious that Paul is also concerned about the sin of neglect; we simply stop paying attention and being drawn not toward God looking at faith, but rather ourselves.

God grant us a steadfast heart; one that is focused solely on you and the wonderful provisions you have made for our reconciliation. Let nothing, including ourselves, be allowed to move us away from the center of your will.