Full Riches of Complete Understanding

"My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:2-3 TNIV

The passage is clear, when we are encouraged in heart and united with others in a fellowship of love, we then are ushered into the "full riches of complete understanding." I know it does not end there, but the next phrase puts us into the end result. Today, I believe we are to look at this step in the "so that."

There are dimensions of understanding in the Lord Jesus. Paul is describing a placement here that he calls "complete understanding." The King James renders this "unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding." There is a wealth of understanding in Christ that unfolds dimension after dimension of His person and His power that few of us in our generation tap into. We are content, for the most part, to feel good about our lives and to be living somewhat successfully in Him. While all that is certainly much better than not dwelling in Him, it does not come close to the depth of the wealth He would like to pour into our lives about Himself and Himself in us. Our normal Christian life is far below what is given for all to receive.

Notice that this step is often overlooked while we proceed into the remaining section of the passage. In Christ are hidden, or deposited, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. All we would ever want to know, all we would ever need to have revealed -- all are there in His person. The accessing of them is through our living in love and being encouraged in our hearts, so we can enter into this dimension of His glory given for all to receive. It is not received in our striving. It is not given to us to encourage us. It is received as we wrap ourselves in Him and in His love for others. Being encouraged then, we begin to be able to have unfold for us all the wisdom and knowledge that we could possibly need.

We cannot do this on our own. We cannot do this in strife with others. We can only do this when we allow the "fight" in us to cease in trust of His love and begin to seek beyond what we think we need and want. Go deeper, go fuller, go into Him in love and peace. How He loves to give to us, not just what we want, but what He would love to pour into our hearts, minds and lives -- more than we could ever dream about Him and us. O how He loves you and me!!!