Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise – why destroy yourself? Ecclesiastes 7:16.

The Word became flesh and lived among us. John 1:14.

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip?” John 14:9.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9.

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. Lamentations 3:25-26 NKJV.

Our chapter, Colossians 4, is the final chapter of Colossians. All throughout his letters, Paul is beseeching the brethren and us to be with Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit. To know Him is to spend time with Him in prayer and in reading the very words He inspired with His help to understand. Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven. Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak. Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information. For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts; and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of your number. They will inform you about the whole situation here. v. 1-9. We meet Onesimus, a slave and member of the brethren in Paul’s letter to Philemon, the master of Onesimus, who is also a member of the brethren. Only with faith in Creator God and His love can our earthly entanglements, all of them, be made right. Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Barnabas’s cousin Mark (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him); and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me. Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis. Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also Demas. Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house. When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part read my letter that is coming from Laodicea. Say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.” I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my imprisonment. Grace be with you.

I have learned to slow down as I read Scripture. I have learned it takes reading a sentence once and then again slowly to let it sink in deep. Kind of like letting the gentle spray of water for plants have a chance to go deep instead of expecting a hasty flood to do any good. And not just for reading Scripture. As everything in our world speeds ever faster with more distractions that have their own unrelenting rhythms, it’s good for our spirit to slow down. Take time to look at the colors of the sunrise touching the very air of the new day. Take time to breathe and know there is time to open a conversation with God wherever you are giving thanks that you have been given life that will lead to life eternal with Him as you trust Him. Know that your conversations with Him can go deep where the very fertile ground of our spirits needing Him can grow and mature. Like those plants, our spirits are tender shoots reaching for the Light of His Love and the water of His Spirit quenching our deepest thirst. To know God is to know His love for you and for me and for all of us. Is that who you know to be God?