Daily Readings and Thought for November 15th. “LET THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN YOU”

 Paul sees a need to write to the believers at Colossae about the need for orderly behaviour among members in their relationships with each other and makes a particular point about husbands and wives. First we note that he states, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” [3 v.16].  What Christ taught has to be alive in our minds.  God has controlled events so that these words written so long ago by so many different authors writing under the inspiration of his Spirit have been miraculously preserved and are now available in every language. It is different to any human book, its words must be absorbed into our thinking and as a result “dwell”, that is, ‘live’ in our minds and influence the way we speak and act every day.  Paul also wrote, “Let the peace of Christ, rule in your hearts, to which you were called in one body” [v.15] The believers should aim to become “one body” as a result of Christ’s words being ‘alive’ in their minds so that “whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus …” [v.17]

Paul next writes about husbands and wives showing that this indwelling “word” has to be reflected in home life. “Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.” [v.18,19]  This reminds us of his words to the Ephesians on this.  He wrote, “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church … Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her …” [Ch.5 v.22,23,25]  Christ set the example for husbands to follow.

Let’s remember where we started – that the word has to “dwell in you richly.” It is evident that if this is not happening, the relationship between husband and wife will be far from the ideal and this will affect not only themselves but also the spiritual growth of their children. Indeed, the overall spirit is summed up by Paul when he writes, “Look carefully then how you walk (in Christ), not as unwise but as wise … because the days are evil.” [v.15,16]