April 16 Daily Devotional

Monthly Theme:

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the beginning of a new life for all believers. It's also the pledge of our resurrection (1 Cor. 15). The study of Colossians is part of this month's meditations on the meaning of the resurrection.

Bible Reading:

Colossians 1:21–23

Bible Text:

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds.... But now he has reconciled you (Col. 1:21).

Devotional:

With great emphasis, Paul has been teaching that Jesus is far more than a personal Savior. He is the King of the cosmos. His blood made peace between God and all things.

But having said that. Paul directly addresses his readers, most of whom were Gentiles. "You were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds.... But now he has reconciled you." The great reconciliation begins with people. Unless people receive the freedom of Christ's reign, creation cannot be liberated (Rom. 8:20–21).

The Bible teaches that sin is not only disobedience and rebellion against God's rule; it is also alienation from God and from each other. Alienation means we are out of joint, imprisoned in our world, selfish and suspicious in our relationships. Sin makes us lonely and puts us in a hostile environment. It builds barriers between God and sinners as well as among human beings.

Reconciliation is the restoration of relationships. God created us to live harmoniously, according to the tune of God's will, in a universe shaped by his love. By the all-embracing atonement of Christ, people are changed, and the world can begin to look like God's garden once again. Loving God with all we are and all we have is not only the crux of the law—it's also the clue to our happiness.

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published in 1994. This edition is copyright by Faith Alive Christian Resources, from whom may be ordered Daylight, the predecessor of Twilight.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this edition of Twilight are from the New International Version

Be sure to read the "Preface" and the "Acknowledgments" by the author.