NIPTO, Day 328

Happy New Year, all!
Today's been a good first day of 2011! I ended up going to bed around 2:30 (I think... maybe 2:00). Slept until almost 11. Went to Panera and got our free stuff from our Panera Cards. Stayed until almost 2, I think. Then we came home and took down the Christmas tree. And then we cleaned out some of the storage in the basement. Hannah and I shredded a LOT of papers. We ate dinner around 6:30. Hannah and I shredded some more papers and then we cleaned everything up and watched an episode of What Not To Wear and an episode of Psych. And now my dad is watching The Three Stooges. Which I've never seen, yet it seems humorous.

NIPTO!
Colossians 1:24-29
²⁴ Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.


Paul learned to rejoice in suffering. He suffered to "fill up... what [was] still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions." Ermm. Yeah. That's dedication. Paul suffered for the church body. 




²⁵ I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— ²⁶ the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. ²⁷ To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Paul wasn't a servant by his own choice. He was commissioned by God to be a bearer of the gospel. The word of God was a mystery that had been kept hidden for ages and generations but was finally disclosed to God's people. God chose to make known the hope of the glory of Christ in us. 

 ²⁸ He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. ²⁹ To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.

Christ is the one that we proclaim. He's the one in whose name we admonish and teach everyone with the wisdom given to us SO THAT we will be able to present everyone as fully mature Christians. And because of that goal, Paul worked strenuously with all the energy that Christ gave him. 




I've decided that this year I am going to try my best to give it to God and make it a God-centered 2011.
And I'm going to try to eat better and have a planned exercise regime. But I'm going to lay back and watch how God works in my life this year.

This video... When I read Col. 1:25-27, I immediately thought of this song. I danced to this song back in March. I'm going to find that video some time, and if I deem it worthy, I'll post it.
Listen to the lyrics in this song. Pray these lyrics. It's amazing.



I'm going to go to bed now. At a "reasonable" hour!