I just trust Him!

 Colossians 1:24-29

“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for His body, that is, the church. I have become its servant, according to God’s administration that was given to me for you, to make God’s message fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to His saints. God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. I labor for this, striving with His strength that works powerfully in me.”

These eight words are foreign to the Church of today, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you.”  Those words were also rare in the time of Paul, and they are uncommon in our age.  If you had met Marty Lindley who for over ten years fought cancer and when ask if she ever got upset that God had allowed this in her life replied; “Why not me?”  Marty loved Jesus, she served others even when she was too sick to do so, and she was full of life, a great Bible teacher and a beautiful wife to Jeff.  This quote from Marty has significant meaning to me; “Some moments, the only thing I know to do is trust Jesus, and that is enough.  I just trust Him.”  Marty would often say Marty means party, and she is having a ball sitting at the feet of her Savior.  Do you have a Marty in your life if so encourage them, but do as Jan and I did, learn from them for they are very exceptional?

When Paul states the rest of verse 24, “and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for His body, that is, the church.”   Paul is not saying something is lacking in Christ’s atoning work, for it is evident in verse 20 that it is a done deal, or as stated on the cross, it is finished.  Paul’s suffering is bringing about the growth of the Church.

Often we followers of Christ let our actions and even our words project a wrong view of our Lord.  What is so dangerous is a distorted view of the Church, where a Gandhi would say: “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians.  Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”  If Gandhi had met the many Marty’s he would not have been able to make that statement, or if he had studied the Scripture and become a follower of Christ as recorded of the twelve apostles. 

Verses 25-27, “I have become its servant, according to God’s administration that was given to me for you, to make God’s message fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to His saints. God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”  God’s plan and the secrets are found in Ephesians 1:7-10.  “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”

I ask my pastor this question, and it is a question I wrestle with.  I want others to think more highly of me than both God, and I know to be true.  And I ask this question, is that common to man and if so how does one overcome?  His reply: “Yes it is common.  It is our pride.  Not sure we overcome it completely in this life.”  Galatians 2:20 came into my mind, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”  Could the real problem be my flesh does not want to submit to the Spirit, and I must put no confidence in myself, but look to Jesus?  If you wrestle with this and have a better answer let me know, but for now I’m going with Marty’s quote; “Some moments, the only thing I know to do is trust Jesus, and that is enough.  I just trust Him.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice