Series: Jesus Manifesto
Message: Getting Out of the Darkness
Preacher: Paddy McCoy
Reflection: Japhet De Oliveira
Live Wonder: Zan Long
Live Adventure: Zan Long
Live Beyond: J. Murdock
Live Purpose: Lydia Svoboda
Editor: Becky De Oliveira
Refresh: Begin with prayer. Ask for the Holy Spirit to open your heart to new understanding and for God’s character to be revealed.
Read: Colossians 1:11-14 in the New Living Translation (NLT). Note 1–3 insights or questions.
Reflect: The other day, I noticed that a friend of mine, Bjorn Karlman, posted a quip on Facebook about how his parents apparently edit his birthday cards, by writing new things on them. I loved it, as I thought I was the only one on the planet who had parents who did the same. It is not like they buy a pink card with “Happy Birthday, Daughter” written on it and then proceed to cross out the word “daughter” and write “son” or paint over the pink with blue. It is more that they found something they like in the card (maybe the simple phrase “Happy Birthday”) which means they need to add “son” or “Japhet.” There have been only a few birthdays or special occasions that I can recall where a card actually had words crossed out and replaced by others. (To be honest, it’s weird that they do this ever!) But I love it. I wouldn’t want to change this characteristic. I really probably should show them how to make a custom card, but I enjoy the anticipation each year of seeing what they will have chosen and how they will have improved it. In addition to the edits, they also faithfully add a portion of Scripture. My father in particular will add passages that are always inspirational. My favourite since my early childhood was this one—Joshua 1:1-5 (ESV):
After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.
It is an epic moment for Joshua, and the promise is that Jesus will stand by his side just as he had done for Moses. I have gone back to this text many times. I treasure it as a passage of strength. Just as it is for Paul who reminds the church back in his day and us today may we indeed be strengthened to press on (Verse 11).
Recalibrate: Think about what makes you strong. Can you share what those sources are and how they replenish you?
Respond: Pray for strength from Jesus.
Research: Compare Deuteronomy 31 with Joshua 1.
Remember: “The Son paid for our sins, and in Him we have forgiveness” (Colossians 1:14, ICB).
Japhet De Oliveira is administrative director for the Center for Mission and Culture at Adventist Health in Roseville, California.
Play a Waiting to Jump game with your child. They can be on the bed or a chair with you waiting to catch them. You will count “1, 2, 3—jump!” Swirl your child around and put them back on the bed or chair ready to go again. Your child may try to jump early so be ready to catch them. Use a toy to do the same thing. Your child can do the catching. They wait for the countdown as you throw the toy into their arms. It is in the waiting that we learn to keep our eyes on what we are waiting for. Waiting for what God has planned for us is the best game ever.
Waiting for something you really want is tough. It’s super tough if you think you are going to miss out on getting what you want. Like when someone is giving out lollipops and you think there may not be enough for everyone and you are scared that by the time they get to you there will be none left. You need to know this: God never runs out of anything. When we wait on God to bring something to us we don’t need to worry that He has run out of it or that we will miss out. All we need to do is be thankful that God knows exactly what we need and when we need it. I am so thankful for that.
Last week I told you about how my mom used to make me say “thank you,” and how it drove me crazy! This week, I want to revisit that idea as we look at Verse 12 of the first chapter of Colossians. Paul takes these two ideas (patience and thankfulness) and squashes them into one singular idea. It’s as if Paul is saying, “You can’t have one without the other!”
Do you remember the “marshmallow test” video that came out a few years ago? If not, here’s a link so you can refresh your memory. In the video, children have their patience tested by being left alone in a room with a single jumbo marshmallow. They are told to make a choice: eat it right away, or wait until the adult comes back and they will get a second marshmallow. Temptation at its worst!
Being patient is hard. Being joyful about having to wait for something is nearly impossible! Knowing that there is something good out there waiting for you (think of Christmas presents under the tree that sit there starting in July but are not ready to be opened until the end of December!) but that you have to just sit and wait is rough. But there is a lesson in there somewhere. Jesus tells us to be patient and thankful even when we have to wait.
What do you think that lesson is? Is it a lesson worth learning? Why?
“. . . for all endurance and patience with joy.” The Spirit at work within you is the Spirit of whose fruits, you must not forget, is joy. He who goes before you paves the way and does not call you to a life of misery and of forgoing all pleasantries. He calls you to joy—joy like you’ve never known. Joy beyond anything you could ever find for yourself.
Zan Long is GRC director for faith development for ages 0-17. She lives in Sydney, Australia, and serves at her local church in nearby Kellyville.
J. Murdock is associate pastor at Boulder Adventist Church in Boulder, Colorado, where he focuses on youth and young adult ministry.
Lydia Svoboda is a junior theology major at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska.