Devotional of the week: Christ’s supremacy (13 in Fruit of the Spirit series)

Photo: vanessa lollipop, flickr

…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… (Colossians 1:9–14)

Paul probably penned the letter to the church at Colossae from prison in Rome, although scholars don’t agree on this point. He didn’t actually plant the church in Colossae – the convert Epaphras did. Paul wrote the letter to these unknown Christians, however, after Epaphras travelled to Rome to be with Paul to seek advice about the Colossians falling prey to false teaching.

Paul seeks to refute the heresy by holding up the supremacy of Christ; in Colossians 1:15–20 he includes what may be an early Christian hymn (“The Son is the image of the invisible God…”). He and Epaphras pray earnestly for the church, that they would hold fast to the gospel. He says that as they receive from God, they will be able to live in a way that pleases him, noting four ways in particular: bearing fruit in every good work; growing in knowledge; being strengthened for endurance and patience; giving joyful thanks.

These four marks of godly living reflect God’s radical renewal in our lives – he’s the one who makes us to bear fruit, to grow in understanding, to have the ability to endure, and even to give thanks. We can’t magically generate these qualities, but they emerge within us through the work of the Holy Spirit. As we die to our old self, we put on the qualities of the new.

During our time of thinking about the fruit of the Spirit, have you stopped to consider an actual piece of fruit? After all, some perfectly ripe fruit – organically grown – bursts with flavor and goodness. Not only does it bring us energy and nutrients, it also brings us pleasure. Think about how your good works, birthing succulent fruit, bring joy to your Creator.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, may I always be connected to you – the vine – that I may bear fruit that lasts. Amen.