Colossians 2:6 jumped out this morning! It is surprising how often when reading the Bible one’s mind is captured by something missed before. This verse is brief and to the point, it reads, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him”. Paul is telling the Colossians, if we expand his meaning a little, that first “you received” Jesus, believing in him, accepting him as your saviour – but then what? The answer seems obvious and natural – you “walk in him”.

Receiving him cannot be a passive thing: we cannot say, ‘I believe’ and then nothing changes in what dominates our thoughts and actions. Paul is not in Colosse physically, but he says, “though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ” (verse 5). Our faith must develop a firmness.

We are reminded of James chapter one where he writes, “the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (verses 3,4).

May we all aim to become “perfect and complete” in our relationship with our Lord, and through him, with our Creator. “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). When that day comes, and how soon that could be, when he “will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect” (Matthew 24:31) we will be gathered because we “so walk in him”.