GOD'S FULNESS

In my reading recently, I came across John 1:16, a Scripture I've read numerous times but never stopped to analyze -- not that it can be analyzed! "Of His fulness have we all received . . ." This time I stopped to ask myself some questions. Am I experiencing this fulness? And just what IS His fulness?

Colossians 1:19 says, "(I)t pleased the Father that in him" -- that's Christ -- "should all fulness dwell." And Colossians 2:9, 10 states, "(I)n him" -- again, that's Christ -- "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him . . ." Fulness, of course, means completeness.

Now I'm starting to grasp something. Because I'm a child of God, Christ dwells in me; and if the fulness of God dwells in Christ and Christ dwells in me, then God's fulness dwells in me! That's staggering as I try to comprehend God's fulness being in me! Barclay's commentary claims that the word Paul uses for "fulness" in all three of these passages means "the sum total of all that is in God!"

Wow! You mean to tell me that the sum total of all that is in God is in me? Hold it right there! Hey,I didn't say that -- the Word of God said it! To put it in simple language, if you have Jesus, you have everything you need! Do you need wisdom? You have it, for God is wisdom. Do you need strength? You have it, for God is strength. Do you need love? You have it, for God is love. And on, and on, and on! Substitute any need you may have, and you have your answer! You can go to your Heavenly Father with all your needs and find answers. In Him is the power to overcome any and every situation or circumstance you may encounter.

Hannah Whitall Smith, a saint of God in years gone by (a Quaker, as I recall), tells about an experience she had in the early years of her walk with the Lord. She had been feeling somewhat sorry for herself due to difficult and unpleasant problems and circumstances she had been facing. She went to an older, wiser Christian sister for advice and began pouring out her troubles to her friend. All her friend would say was, "But there's God." Hannah complained, "But you don't understand," and explained her problems again. And again, the wise friend countered, "But there's God." Over and over this scenario was repeated until finally Hannah began to see that her answer was in Christ.

And so it is today. You and I are no different. We have God's fulness within us, and therein lies all that we need. Hasn't He promised, "(M)y God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory . . ." (Philippians 4:19)? And those riches are exhaustless; they're endless.

So be encouraged and go forth to face the challenges of this new year with the knowledge that the fulness of God dwells within you enabling you to face victoriously the unknown future!

Preacher's Kid