⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. ⁹ For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, ¹⁰ and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; ¹¹ and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; ¹² having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. ¹³ When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, ¹⁴ having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. ¹⁵ When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

Colossians 2:8-15

Dear God, when I read this passage this morning, my first thought was to beware of people that come along with theologies and teachings that are contrary to what I was taught about you all of my life. Some people call it deconstruction. Beware of deconstruction. But then I read it more closely and realized that I think Paul is actually saying quite the opposite. I think the people of whom he is telling the Colossians to beware is the people who will teach Judaism the way Judaism had been taught for a long time at that point.

But the truth is, I don’t know exactly what Paul is talking about. I went back and read the verses before. They didn’t give me much insight. No, Paul could very well be talking about deconstruction and its dangers. I guess this is where I am right now. I’m trying to know you more and more. I’m trying to cut through the layers of tradition that have been handed down (e.g. rapture theology and tribulation) and see what exactly it is you have for me. What I’m finding, the digger I deep, is that it actually gets really simple. My job as a lay Christian living in the world is to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, and then love my neighbor as myself. You haven’t asked me to understand how the four rivers flowing out of Eden formed the societies of the Bible. You haven’t asked me to understand how the earth was created and I ended up sitting here this morning. You haven’t asked me to understand how this all ends. What you asked me to do is love you, love others, and then follow your precepts so that I might live a life full of your fruit. Pretty simple.

Father, help me to do those things today. Help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Help me to love everyone who comes across my path. Help me to love sacrificially. Help me to love in a way that draws people to you. And help me to encourage others to do the same.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen