Most Christians would agree that reading the Bible is important, but we do not always talk as much about how we read the Bible. What is the Bible really about? Sometimes we can make the Bible more about us than about God. Jesus makes the bold claim to the Jews that they can “search the Scriptures” and still miss what the Bible is about: namely, the life found in Jesus.

We are all influenced by many different people in our lives and in our Christian walk with God. At the end of Colossians, the apostle Paul names several people who have ministered alongside him and influenced the ministry at the church of Colossae. This is a good reminder for us to be aware of and imitate the hidden figures who have influenced our relationship with God.

Those of us who are a part of the church can often miss some of the basics of church life - the call to continual prayer and gospel witness to those around us. In Colossians 4:2-6, the apostle Paul reminds us how important it is for the church to be praying for each other and our missionaries, and living and speaking in such a way that people see the beauty of the gospel.

While many people’s work has been disrupted by COVID-19, we see in John 5 that God has never stopped working. Since creation God has been working to bring life and true judgment (or justice) to the world. Jesus follows after God the Father and heals a sick man on the Sabbath to demonstrate that He is working just like His Father - He is willing to die so that we can live.

Work is often seen as something we must do in order to live, but when we look at the biblical story in Genesis 2-3, we see that God is a worker and He made humanity to be workers alongside of Him. Our work and our attitude towards work is an opportunity to worship God and to live in deep relationship with God and those around us.

The parent-child relationship is one of the most important relationships. The Bible uses the imagery of a Father for God and children for God’s people constantly. So understanding what the Bible says about how children relate to their parents and how parents relate to their children is essential for family life, but also gives a glimpse into our relationship with our heavenly Father.

Sin has broken many of our relationships, including the closest relationships of our families. Those who are married know how hard it can be to love and relate to each other as God calls us. But thankfully God hasn’t just given us an example of love and submission in Jesus, but through the gospel, God has given us the power to change and submit and love in our marriages.

We all want to be able to see proof of the things we believe in, but sometimes God asks us to trust Him even if we don’t see any proof initially (or at all). We may want signs and wonders, or to see specific answers to our prayers, but God wants us to trust His word. Jesus demonstrates why we can trust Him with our lives because He alone is the one who can truly give us life.

Change involves more than just stopping sinful behaviors, it involves growing more into the image of Christ - which means we start to bear a family resemblance to Jesus. This isn’t just a change of behavior, but a change of heart. Only God can change our hearts, and this happens by letting the word of Christ dwell with us through teaching, admonishing, and singing about Christ.

We all want to change - but changing is always harder than we imagine. In Colossians chapter 3, Paul begins to talk about what it looks like for Christians to truly change to be like Christ (sanctification). He talks about how important it is for us to focus on Christ (3:1-4), things we are to put off in our lives (3:5-11), and things that we are to put on as we grow closer to Christ (3:12-17).