Come To The House Of The Lord

Wall of Faith: Colossians

Colossians is a letter from Paul to one of his church plants. When I read it this week I felt like he wrote it for the 200 plus cast and crew of Bow the Knee.  If you didn't read last weeks blog about Bow the Knee you can catch up here:  Why We Pour It All Out at Bow The Knee.

Tonight I'll head down to the church after work and join people from 24 different churches in my town to do our last dress rehearsal for this weekend's performances.  At practice on Sunday, our head pastor led everyone in communion and gave us all a healthy reminder to do Bow the Knee well.  Keep the drama on the stage was his advice.  Good advice. Paul would agree.  If you are in Bow the Knee - or if you ever partner with tons of faith people different than you to accomplish some feat for Jesus you may want to read along.  Take Paul's word's to heart.  Here is my survival plan for this week. 

PRAY JOYFULLY WITH THANKSGIVING
​I'm thankful for the 38 kids who have committed to late nights and boring waits and silent walks backstage. I'm grateful for their parents. I'm grateful my kids get to participate. I'm grateful my daughter took invitations to her friends at school. Grateful for the humility of those playing Jesus. Grateful for the choir and the tech crew. I'm praying for health and endurance and patience.

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.  Colossians 1:9-12

REMEMBER TO KEEP THE MAIN THING THE MAIN THING. 
​I'm reminding myself daily this is all about Jesus. Not who is working hardest. Not who gets credit. Well actually. It is about who worked hardest - that was Jesus.  He is the one who left heaven's glory to rescue our sorry souls by enduring torture and death. And it is all about who gets credit - that would be Jesus. 

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. Colossians 1:16-18

PUT ON SOME LOVE
When I'm tired or hungry or have consumed entirely too much caffeine I can get cranky. You too? And when I get cranky, I can be short with people. You too? And I'm pretty good at giving myself a pass - because you see I'm tired and cranky. You too? I can also be pretty good about noticing when other people are short or rude or too emphatic in their directions to keep my kids quiet. No passes given to them. Do you do this? Sigh. Me too. 

I am going to do my best this week to hold myself accountable to treating people well regardless of how I feel. And I'm going give away grace in massive quantities to other people. You too? Let's make this section of Colossians our anthem this week. 

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:12-17

Fellow Bow the Knee people - we are dearly loved. We are chosen for a high and mighty purpose. Tonight as we put on our crew shirts or hustle into costumes let's really clothe ourselves with compassion, with gentleness, with humility and patience. Let's say we're sorry. Let's forgive gracefully. Let's live in peace. Let's sing to God with gratitude in our hearts. Come to the house of the Lord. 

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