READ: Colossians 1
THINK: Leonardo Da Vinci’s painting, The Last Supper, is one of the world’s greatest works of art. And Da Vinci had every intention that it would be just that. He spent three years working on the painting, determined to perfectly capture the moment. But before he officially unveiled the painting, Da Vinci decided to show it first to a friend whose opinion he trusted very deeply. The friend looked it over and, unsurprisingly, praised the painting effusively before making a comment that struck horror in Da Vinci’s heart. He said, “The cup in the Lord’s hand is particularly beautiful.”
And almost before he had finished the sentence Da Vinci was at work painting the cup out of the scene. When the astonished friend asked him why, the great artist replied, “Nothing must distract from the figure of Christ.”
Paul reminded the believers in Colossae that, “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.”
We would do well to make Da Vinci’s reply the motto by which we live our lives. Nothing must distract from the figure of Christ! When he is at the center of our lives he is precisely where he is meant to be. And when he’s not, we miss out. We miss out on the fullness of life and relationship with our creator that we were created and designed for. Today…this week…this month, do your best to push aside the distractions and give Christ supremacy in your life.
PRAY: This has been one of my favorite songs over the last few months. I don’t know if Tim Hughes wrote it directly out of Colossians 1, but the idea of Christ being “[our] everything” and also the bridge quoting verse 27 in noting that “Christ in [us] is the hope of glory” lead me to believe he did. If you don’t know the song, listen (you can see the lyrics below the video) and if you do – sing it out from the bottom of your heart to God.
throughin2.com 