I really disliked history when I was in school. I ran as far away from it as possible and made sure it wasn’t one of my majors for my final exams. Looking back though I wonder what was wrong with me?! Was I lazy, did I really not care about the past? Maybe I was living too much in the present!

I had a fascinating discussion/debate with one of my Christian friends many moons ago. She was trying to get her head around the love that God has for people. She was making a case that God’s love is for the collective and not necessarily for the individual.

Many of the Christians in Colossae would have been Gentiles. Lacking the traditions and historical understandings of their fellow Christians with Jewish roots, they are particularly susceptible to the “ideas of the day.” Paul is writing to remind them to grow their lives with deep roots in Christ and to build their futures on a foundation that is firm and wide …

Jesus said “I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest” (John 10:10). Jesus intends for us to enjoy a full and rich life. The life he desires for us is not without boundaries, but they are set by God not people, to fulfill us. The Colossians are in danger of being dragged down again by human rules and regulations …

Paul is showing the Colossians how much richer they are than they realize. In Christ they have found everything that the human heart truly desires – freedom from the burden of sin and of course “life in its fullest” (John 10:10). The call then is to focus our lives heavenwards and not on the things of this world that drag us back to our miserable origins.

As a father, a high school teacher, a sports coach or a preacher I often spoke – but only sometimes with results. But when God speaks things always happen! David writes here of some of the effects of God’s voice. The “voice of the Lord” is repeated over and over in this psalm!

The synopsis of this scripture passage could be put in the form of a question. Do you want “stuff” or would you rather a long, happy, pleasant life full of wealth and honour?

A friend tells the story of his mother and aunt who ingeniously developed a way to navigate the stampede for Black Friday deals.