Two thoughts from the Apostle Paul regarding the nature and the work of Jesus Christ (who He is and what He does) give us some profound insight into our nature and purpose (who we are and what we are created to do).
In Colossians 1:16, while describing the preeminence of Christ, Paul says,
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through him and for him.”
He echoes this sentiment in Romans 11:36:
“For from him and through him and to him are all things.”
If “all things” includes we folk, then that means that Jesus Christ, while being a participant with the Father in the creation of all things, is also the One for whom all things have been created.
Notice that the thought and work are reciprocated. 1 Corinthians 15 describes the work of Christ in the resurrection in defeating the last great enemy, death. Once death’s victory and sting are removed we are told,
“When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.”
Essentially, in redeeming the world to himself through his death, burial and resurrection, Jesus subjects, or gives, the world back to the Father.
A back and forth reciprocating gift of life and love between the Father and Son, this is what all things are…including us. We are, in our very nature, gift. So, it makes sense then that God continually calls us to die to ourselves, lay our lives down for one another and love one another as Christ has shown us in his love for us. We live best when we live as as gifts to one another.
Christmas is the season of the year when it seems we, as a culture, come closest to getting this. As it becomes okay for Hollywood and pop stars to sing Christmas Carols, it also becomes okay to give of ourselves. As the retail and cyber universe buzz with swiping and “cha-chinging,” so seems to increase the random acts of kindness. It’s at those times that we do get a whiff of “the most wonderful time of the year.”
I’d like to wish you all well as we move into the Christmas season of giving and I’d like to make you aware of an easy way to expand and multiply the reach of your giving as you do. If you do any online shopping at Amazon.com you can support Cary Christian School in the process. By going to Amazon.com through the following portal…
…you can do all your holiday shopping while Amazon.com returns a portion of the retail amount of your purchases to Cary Christian School. This portal will work for any purchasing that you do through your business as well. Simply bookmark the page to keep it handy, go through that portal and whalah!! You are giving double!
I pray God’s blessings on you all as you spend time with family and friends giving, thanking, and making merry in the good blessings of our kind Lord.
“And God bless us, every one!”
More Posts by This Author:
- A Garden of Children
- A World Turned Upside Down (Fourth Week of Advent)
- Anatomy of a Great Parent-Teacher Conference
- Beyond Cliché: Incarnational Education (Part 2 of 3)
- Beyond Cliché: Resurrectional Education (Part 3 of 3)
- Beyond Cliché: Trinitarian Education (Part 1 of 3)
- CCS Biology Labs Are Glowing!
- Christian Schooling and Sports
- Coaches’ Corner: It’s More Than Just a Game
- Common Core at CCS?
- Conceptualizers
- Cuban and Cook on Classical Education
- Knights’ Fest
- Latin, Alive and Well
- Light in the Darkness (Third Week of Advent)
- Search and Teach
- Speaking Up
- The (Hand)Writing on the Wall
- The Father’s Land
- Training Up Children, or Churning Out Widgets?