No Place Like Home

Colossians 3-Part 5
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom: teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Colossians 3:16


LET IT GLOW

I can walk through our house in the middle of the night with complete darkness without any problems. That is, unless an unexpected door is closed, a laundry basket or toy is not in my path, then I stub my toe. It's because this is my childhood home of 18 years; the place where I grew up. I know all the corners and turns, rooms and doorways. I have lived here almost 5 years since then.
There's no place like home, as Dorothy reminded us, especially after meeting the challenges of a  work day. Home a place of retreat, comfort, relaxation. Home is where your heart is. It's my dwelling place. Do I consider God's Word a "dwelling place?"

Webster's Dictionary states that the word "let" means to allow, permit, cause.
Do I allow God's Word to dwell in me?

In her daily devotional book, Joni Eareckson Tada says:

When the apostle Paul says, "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly," he is reminding us that Scripture should find a home in our hearts. We should dwell in it. Richly. For like any home, we should know God's Word like the back of our hand. God wants His Word to find a home in your heart. For you, it can be a strong refuge, or a restful sanctuary from a pressure-filled world. Wherever life takes you, home can be as close as your heart, as close as that Bible next to you.

John Wesley said, "To dwell was not a short stay or an occassional visit, but take up its stated residence."

During the years my family lived elsewhere, we would occassionally visit my mother, who lived here in this same house. It wasn't my  residence back then, only a place to visit. Is God's Word only a place where I visit on Sundays or occassionally when in need of help? Or is it my spiritual  home? Do I memorize the Word so I can take it with me wherever I go?

All the Scripture is inspired by God, edited by the Spirit of Christ. We are to search, carefully attend, diligently read, frequently meditate upon the Scriptures. It furnishes us with all spiritual wisdom. Let the Word
take up residence, never to depart. Develop a steady faith in and an affection for the Scriptures. Make It a rich treasure, an invaluable mine of precious truths. (John Gill)


LET IT GROW

What else is Paul instructing us to do? He says to teach and admonish one another. How do I do that? Use  psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Admonishing means to put in mind, to caution or reprove gently, warn, according to Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.

As we teach the Scriptures, it should be a caution, a repoof, a warning. Not only are we to teach God's Word, but we are to sing the Word, too. We can sing choruses, hymns, new spiritual songs. How am I to sing them? With grace in my heart to the Lord. sing His praises. Sing as an expression of gratitude and worship. Not just in the church building, but throughout my day. We have the message of God's love and redemption in Jesus Christ. (Shepherd's Notes)

So, am I teaching, admonishing, singing God's Word? Am I encouraging others to have joy in Jesus?


LET IT GO

Allow God's Word to take up perminent residence in my heart by reading, meditating, and treasuring It.

Faithfully teach God's Word to others.

Singing praises to the Lord.