`Today's Scripture: Colossians 2:8-15
"and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority"
Nearly $16.7 billion was spent on cosmetic procedures in the U.S. in 2020. Most, if not all, of that money was for elective procedures, not medically necessary procedures. That's a whole lot of people that wanted to improve their looks.
The Apostle Paul reminds us in today's passage that in Christ, we are complete. Filled up absolutely. Whole.
We don't need to improve ourselves. Jesus has already done that for us.
The problem is, though, when we come to faith in Jesus and are made alive through his resurrection, we tend to bring with us many of the old insecurities. Jesus accepts us just as we are, warts and all.
But sometimes we just can't accept ourselves. We keep trying to make ourselves better. We keep trying to please God, to improve ourselves. By doing so, though, we're not living in the fullness of Jesus. This is when we need to choose to begin again.
Remember that Paul said, "in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form." Everything that God is can be found in Jesus. All of the love that he has for you as his creation. All of the pleasure that he has in calling you friend. All of the perfect peace that brings joy. All of God is in Jesus.
Lean into that. Let go of those old insecurities and give them over to Jesus. Live life full of Jesus.
You don't need to improve yourself before God. Jesus has already done that for you.
Think about it ...
Prayerfully consider what you might be holding onto that is preventing you from living full of Jesus.
Having experienced forgiveness (v. 13), is there someone to whom you need to show forgiveness?
What does it mean to be "taken captive through philosophy and empty deceptions" (v. 8)?
How does this passage help to be taken captive by Jesus instead of by "elementary principles of the world"?
