I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally. I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong. And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2:1-7 (NLT)
Who is the wisest person you know? What makes them wise? Have they studied well? Have they been kicked around the block a few times? Have they produced a string of successes?
The wisest person you know only possesses a small segment of wisdom and knowledge compared to Christ. All of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge lie hidden in Christ. But, why are they hidden?
Wisdom and knowledge are only hidden from those who don’t belong to Christ. Once they belong to Christ, it’s no longer hidden. Unspiritual people can’t understand spiritual things (1 Corinthians 2:14). The Bible also teaches us that fear or respect for the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10).
God’s Word doesn’t tell us everything that we want to know, but it does give us everything that we need to know. Life confronts us with some big questions. Why do bad things happen to good people? (Hint: Bad things happen to everybody). If God is all-powerful and is good, why does evil exist? Good question. (You’ll need to sign up for The Truth Project at BrookwoodU for that one.) Did Adam have a belly button? We have a lot of serious questions.
Roots that grow down into Christ become mighty oaks. Lives built on the foundation of Christ prove to be unshakeable. Decisions based on God’s Word in a relationship with Christ help us succeed in developing godly character and building God’s Kingdom. But, don’t get me wrong, every decision that we pray about won’t automatically become a success. God is more concerned about Christ being formed in us than whether we turn a profit (Romans 8:28).
Where do we find ourselves turning for answers? If we have a headache, we head to the medicine cabinet. If we have a computer problem, we call the Geek Squad or head to the Genius Bar. If we’re short on funds, we rely on our credit cards. If we need a job, we surf over to monster.com. There’s nothing wrong with any of these things in and of themselves. But, when do we turn to God?
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33
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