'Spending Time in Colossians 3:1-17'

I always enjoy the space that St Catherine's Foundation, Limehouse offers. We were there for a retreat day on Sunday with the second year cadets about to be commissioned, and as usual I slipped in a reflective exercise for me! 'Spending Time in Colossians 3:1-17'

Sounds a bit dry but I quite like the practice of paraphrasing. Spending time, making sense of a piece of biblical literature, for you, for now can be really helpful. So each year the retreat day has been the culmination of a years thinking. Anyway it does me good!

"It is possible! Desire the selfless life of Christ, who is God, keep thinking of that as an alternative to the selfishness of the world. Remember that way of life in you is no more, because you are to be found in your desire. The essence of God in you, is in your living and is your salvation.

Selfish desires need to be isolated, for they have become your God. This displacement of how you are intended to be is unsustainable and is not the plan of God, ensure such attributes of selfishness do not eclipse the essence of God in you.

As you continue to grow from your desire, more of God will be recognised in you, no domination, deceit or discrimination, only God as seen in what it is to be fully human through Christ.

The consequence is this, the essence of God will be known in and through you by the evidence of his attributes in you. From your desire for Christlikeness flows compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and forgiveness, all making sense through the completeness of love. That is what it is to be hidden with Christ in God - wholeness.

May your desire for the completeness of Christ  dominate your relationships with others. Be grateful as you demonstrate and teach one another what it is to embrace the message of Christ."

(Colossians 3:1-17 with apologies to Paul!)