Good morning, and a most blessed Thursday to you.

In preparing for this time of devotion together, I was having a conversation with someone. And he jokingly said, “Well, the devotion should be all about Jesus.”  And it was very funny. True, of course.  But the more I thought about it, the more I thought that he's absolutely right. It needs to be all about Jesus, because we are a Christian people. We are disciples of Christ. We know that everything we confess, believe, and trust, comes down to trusting in the promise that is fulfilled in Jesus. 

So today in our time of devotion, it is all about Jesus. First, I would like to take a moment just to make a distinction. We often talk about learning more about Jesus. But truly, when we engage with scripture, and when we hear the preached Word, we're not just learning about Jesus, but we are getting to know Him personally better and better.  So it's not a matter of knowing more about someone in a distant manner.  But the more that we engage with God in His Word, the better we know Him personally in our lives, and the more that God really reveals Himself and His heart to us. And that again comes right back to being centered in Christ. 

A great way to know this, and to know that this is true, is to go to Scripture. Of course we can open Scripture and find Jesus everywhere. We can read His own words and His teaching. We can read about the miracles that he performed.  We can read of the promise of His coming in the Old Testament.  Or we can read about what he has done in the New Testament, and how that affects our lives.

But right now let’s go the Paul’s letter to the Colossians.  I love this very powerful description that gets at the heart of who Jesus is.  Let’s go to Colossians 1:15- 20.  Paul writes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit:

 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, 16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. 

This is such a powerful, powerful description of who Jesus is. He is the invisible God made visible.  He is the image of God. He is how God wants us to know Him.  And He has made it possible for us to know Him through the cross.  He has made us to know Him through His own sacrifice for us. And think about what that means for us; and who that means Christ is in us and for our lives. 

He is loving. He is merciful.  He is willing to die for us to know him. Are you willing to die for someone to know you?  I know that at the base of that it sounds impossible.  If someone is dead, then you can't know them any longer. And yet, because Christ died and was triumphant over death itself, having risen from the grave, He has made it possible for us to know Him; to know God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  He has given His own Spirit to lead us in all things that are truth. Jesus is truth!  So today's time of devotion is all about Jesus. Because God's Word is all about Jesus.  Because life in God is all about Jesus.  He has made life possible for us through Jesus. He has made Himself known to us through Jesus.  And he continues to make himself known to us by His Spirit leading us over and over and over again to Jesus. It is all about Jesus. And what a blessing it is. Thank you Jesus, for Jesus.

Let's pray.  Lord, we thank you so much for making yourself known to us. We thank you for condescending to walk upon this Earth, to become flesh and dwelt amongst us. Thank you for taking our sin to the cross and rising triumphant over death and our sin. Lord, we ask that if there is anyone who has not yet met you in our lives, that you would use us to introduce you to them. We thank you so much for letting us know you as loving, just, merciful, and gracious.  Lord, we ask that you would continue to lead us, and that you would continue to let us know you more deeply each day. Thank you for engaging with us through Your Word, both written and preached; and through your body and blood given to us in the bread and wine each week.  Lord, we ask that you bless the rest of this week, and that you would gather all your people to praise you and to worship you this Sunday. Lord, we lift all of this to you in the awesome name of Jesus. Amen.

Have an amazing rest of your week, and remember that we will come again to worship our Lord and to know Jesus better and better… because it is all about Jesus.  

God bless!

Pastor Malinak