Sometimes I like to take a familiar verse of Scripture and look at it through the lens of different translations, which can make a truth in God’s Word come alive with fresh meaning.  Such was the case this morning, as I was reading Colossians 2:6, a scripture I have not only read more times than I can remember, but also one I often used in teaching a Bible class called “Understanding God.”  It is a verse that encourages us to “live our lives in Jesus,” (NIV) to continue to “follow him.”(NLT) But today when I read this verse in the “Voice” translation, it provided me with a fresh perspective on the Father’s  directive to follow Jesus.

“Now that you have welcomed the Anointed One, Jesus the Lord, into your lives, continue to journey with Him and allow Him to shape your lives.” (The emphasis is mine.)

So often when it comes to the amazing gift of salvation we receive when we welcome Jesus into our lives, our primary focus is on our eternal destination―the gift of eternal life in the presence of our Lord.  But in Colossians we are reminded that our Savior doesn’t want us to wait for eternity to arrive in order to be with him; he wants us to “journey with him” today―to be cognizant of his desire to be present in our daily lives and be “shaped” by his perfecting presence as we hurdle the challenges of the day, as we seek answers to problems that seem insurmountable, as we celebrate the joys of this life.

Through the highs and lows of life he wants to be with us in the journey―no, actually he wants us to journey with him, letting him take the lead! And as we do, he will shape our lives for the better. So as we celebrate his birth this Christmas season, let us rejoice that he journeyed into humanity over 2,000 years ago, so we can journey with him in the present!