Sarah K. Howley's Blog

The letter to the Colossians is often summarized in a single phrase: the supremacy of Christ.

That summary is true — but it can also be too simple.

What is the book of Colossians actually about? At its core, Colossians is a letter reminding believers that Christ is supreme and sufficient.

Colossians is not merely a theological declaration. It is a carefully constructed argument written to believers who were being tempted to look elsewhere for spiritual fullness. Paul writes not to introduce Christ to them, but to remind them that Christ is enough.

To read Colossians well, we have to see both what Paul affirms and what he quietly resists.

The Background of Colossians: False Teaching and Spiritual Drift

(Colossians 2:8–23)

Paul warns the Colossians not to be taken captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy (2:8). Something was pressing in on this young church — teachings that blended religious practices, spiritual experiences, and human traditions in ways that subtly diminished Christ.

The danger was not outright rejection of Jesus. It was addition.

Additional rules. Additional mediators. Additional spiritual experiences.

Paul responds by bringing them back to the center: Christ is not a starting point to move beyond. He is the fullness in whom believers already stand complete (2:9–10).

This context matters. Without it, we can read Colossians as abstract theology rather than pastoral protection.

The Supremacy of Christ in Colossians

(Colossians 1:15–20)

At the heart of the letter is one of the most breathtaking descriptions of Christ in the New Testament.

Jesus is the image of the invisible God.
The firstborn over all creation.
All things were created through Him and for Him.
He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

Paul is not simply praising Jesus poetically. He is grounding the Colossians in reality. If Christ is the creator, sustainer, and reconciler of all things, then no rival teaching can offer something He lacks.

Colossians insists that Christ is not one spiritual resource among many. He is the center of creation and redemption itself. Everything else in the letter flows from this.

The Movement: From Christ’s Supremacy to Transformed Living

Colossians does not stop with doctrine. It moves steadily toward transformation. Paul urges the believers: “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him…” (2:6–7)

The pattern is clear:
Receive → Continue
Rooted → Built up
Established → Overflowing with thankfulness

Spiritual maturity is not presented as moving beyond Christ into more advanced experiences. It is deepening into Him.

In chapter 3, Paul presses this further:

“Set your minds on things above…” (3:1–2)
“Put to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature…” (3:5)
“Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility…” (3:12)

Transformation, in Colossians, is not self-improvement. It is life reshaped because believers belong to Christ. Identity precedes behavior. Union with Christ produces visible change.

What Colossians Refuses to Let Us Do

One of the most important things Paul does in this letter is prevent spiritual drift.

He refuses to let believers:

Add to Christ as though He were insufficient

Reduce Him to a helpful teacher

Replace Him with self-discipline or mystical experience

Colossians repeatedly draws attention back to fullness in Christ (2:9–10). Believers are not spiritually incomplete, waiting for a missing piece. They are already united to the One in whom all fullness dwells.

This clarity protects the church from both pride and anxiety. There is no room for boasting in human systems — and no need to fear that something essential is missing.

And What About Philemon?

Placed alongside Colossians in the New Testament, Philemon gives us something different but deeply connected.

Where Colossians proclaims Christ’s supremacy in cosmic terms, Philemon shows the implications of that supremacy in personal relationships.

Paul appeals for Onesimus not on the basis of law or social expectation, but on the basis of shared life in Christ. The gospel that reconciles humanity to God also reshapes how believers relate to one another.

Colossians gives us the theological foundation.
Philemon shows us the relational outworking.

Together, they press us to consider not only what we believe about Christ, but how that belief transforms the way we live.

Why Colossians Still Matters

We live in a culture saturated with competing voices.

Some promise deeper spirituality through technique.
Some redefine identity through cultural categories.
Some encourage performance as proof of worth.

Colossians quietly but firmly redirects us: Christ is sufficient. Christ is supreme. Christ is enough.

In summary, the book of Colossians teaches that Jesus Christ is supreme over creation and sufficient for salvation and spiritual growth. Paul writes to guard believers from adding to Christ and to call them into a life transformed by union with Him.

To read this letter carefully is to allow its central claim to recalibrate us. We do not outgrow Christ. We grow deeper into Him.

If you are spending time in Colossians and Philemon this season, I hope you read slowly. Notice how often Paul brings everything back to Christ — not as a slogan, but as the center that holds all things together.

And if you want to study these letters in a way that traces that movement carefully, Colossians & Philemon: Live Transformed was written to help you do just that.

Nearness is one of the attributes of God that believers affirm quickly—and question quietly. I really don’t think I am alone in this.

We say that God is with us. We sing about His presence. But in moments of fear, grief, or silence, a more personal question surfaces: Is He here? Is He present in this?

The Bible does not describe a God who drifts in and out of proximity. It reveals a God who is always present—before we notice Him, before we seek Him, and even when we try to hide from Him.

Scripture answers the question of God’s nearness not with sentiment, but with story.

What the Bible Means by God’s Nearness

When Moses speaks to Israel in Deuteronomy 4, he does not begin with abstraction. He points to lived reality in verse 7 “What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?”

God’s nearness is not theoretical. It is relational. He hears. He responds. He remains.

And this pattern begins much earlier. In Genesis 3, after Adam and Eve rebel, they hide among the trees. Shame drives them away from the One who made them. Yet the next movement in the story is not divine retreat—it is divine approach.

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” -Genesis 3:8–9

The Lord walks in the garden. He calls out. Even in the aftermath of sin, God is present. He is not only present, but he sought them out - even in their sin.

Nearness begins not with our awareness, but with His initiative.

God Is Present in Threatening situations and Suffering

The book of Daniel gives one of the clearest pictures of God’s nearness under threat.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to bow to an image. Their loyalty to God places them in direct opposition to power. They are bound and thrown into a furnace so hot that it kills the soldiers who carry them.

Yet when the king looks into the flames, he sees four men walking freely in the fire.

Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”

So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.-Daniel 3:19–27

The fire is real. The danger is not minimized. But God’s presence is unmistakable.

Isaiah echoes this promise generations later in Isaiah 43:1–2. Passing through waters. Walking through fire. These are not metaphors for ease. They are assurances of accompaniment. He was with them. He is with us.

God does not prove His nearness by removing every furnace. He proves it by remaining within it.

God Is Present When He Seems Hidden

Sometimes God’s nearness is not dramatic—it is quiet and unrecognized.

In Luke 24, two disciples leave Jerusalem defeated. They speak openly of dashed hopes. They recount the crucifixion as if the story is over. As they walk, a stranger joins them and listens.

They do not recognize Him on that walk to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-27).

The risen Christ walks beside them in their confusion. He explains the Scriptures. He breaks bread. Only then are their eyes opened.

What strikes the reader is this: Jesus was present before they understood. Their lack of recognition did not mean His absence.

Psalm 34:18 reminds us that the Lord is near to the brokenhearted. That nearness is often quiet. It may not interrupt grief immediately. But it sustains within it.

God’s presence does not depend on our clarity.

God’s Constant Presence Revealed in Christ and the Spirit

The Old Testament reveals a God who draws near—in a garden, in the wilderness, in fire. The New Testament reveals something even more startling: God comes to dwell.

John writes that “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us,” (John 1:14). This is not symbolic nearness, but is embodied presence. God walks dusty roads. He touches lepers. He weeps at graves. He eats with sinners. He sleeps in storms.

Jesus didn’t merely visit humanity - He enters it.

After His resurrection, Jesus promises something that extends beyond His earthly ministry: I am with you always (Matthew 28:20).

Not only in Galilee. Not only before ascension. ALWAYS.

And that promise deepens. Through the Spirit, God’s presence moves from beside His people to within them. Romans 8 speaks of the Spirit dwelling in believers. Ephesians 2:13 declares that those once far away have been brought near through Christ.

God’s presence is no longer external or occasional. It is indwelling. In me. In you.

The pillar of cloud guided from above (then). The Spirit resides within (now).

God is not occasionally near. He dwells.

God’s Presence and Our Assurance

Because God is always present, you aren’t navigating life alone—even when feelings suggest otherwise.

Hebrews 4:14–16 invites us to draw near to the throne of grace. That invitation assumes accessibility. We approach not because we are strong, but because He is near and wants us there, with him.

Hebrews 13:5 records the promise, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” That promise does not waver with seasons. It does not expire in hardship. Paul strengthens the assurance further in Romans 8:38–39, saying NOTHING - not death, not life, not present circumstances or future fears - separates us from God’s love.

This means that even when prayer feels quiet, even when outcomes are unclear, even when grief lingers, God is not absent.

He is near in the ordinary.
He is near in suffering.
He is near in confusion.
He is near in weakness.

And He will remain with you.

The Story Ends With Presence

The Bible opens with God walking in the garden and closes with a promise even greater. Revelation 21:3 declares: Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

The story of Scripture moves toward unhindered presence. What began in fellowship will end in co-dwelling.

From Genesis to Revelation, the testimony is consistent: God is always present.

He is not distant. He does not leave or abandon his people.

He is always present.

For more from the Bible on God is Near, feel free to grab the Reading Plan. Subscribe below for immediate access.

Faithfulness is one of the attributes of God that Scripture invites us to return to again and again. We encounter God’s faithfulness in answered prayers, in promises kept, and in moments where life begins to make sense. Yet the Bible also reveals God’s faithfulness as something deeper and more enduring than predictability or immediate resolution.

Rather than offering a single definition, Scripture shows God’s faithfulness over time—through promise and waiting, through suffering and mercy, and through fulfillment that is sometimes only clear in hindsight. God’s faithfulness is revealed not as a concept to master, but as a reality to trace across the story He is telling.

Faithfulness Begins in Who God Is

Before Scripture shows God’s faithfulness in events, it reveals faithfulness as part of who He is.

When God declares His name, He describes Himself as compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness (Exodus 34:6–7). This revelation comes not at a moment of human success, but in the aftermath of failure. God’s faithfulness is not a reaction to human obedience. It flows from His own character.

Throughout Scripture, this consistency remains steady. God does not change (Malachi 3:6). He does not speak carelessly or reverse His purposes (Numbers 23:19). Faithfulness belongs to God before it is ever experienced in circumstances.

Faithfulness Spoken Before It Is Seen

Scripture repeatedly shows God speaking promises long before fulfillment becomes visible.

God’s covenant with Abraham unfolds slowly across years marked by uncertainty and waiting (Genesis 12; 15; 21). What is spoken early is not rushed to completion, yet it is never forgotten. Later generations look back and recognize that God remained true to His word across decades.

This pattern establishes something essential: God’s faithfulness is not measured by speed, but by commitment. What God speaks, He carries forward—even when the path is long.

God’s Faithfulness Seen Over Time: Joseph

Scripture often reveals God’s faithfulness most clearly when looking back over time rather than in the middle of unfolding events. The life of Joseph offers a window into how God’s faithfulness works beneath the surface of circumstances.

Joseph’s story begins with promise. As a young man, he receives dreams that point toward future leadership and provision. Yet almost immediately, those promises seem to unravel. He is betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and imprisoned—moving steadily farther away from anything that looks like fulfillment (Genesis 37–39).

For years, Joseph’s life appears marked more by loss than by promise fulfilled. Scripture gives no indication that Joseph understands how his circumstances fit into God’s purposes. What it does show is that God remains present, quietly sustaining and positioning him even when the larger story is hidden.

Only much later—after rescue, restoration, and reunion—does the meaning of Joseph’s journey come into view. When Joseph speaks to his brothers, he does not deny the harm done to him. Instead, he recognizes that God’s faithfulness was at work across the whole of his life:

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20)

This moment does not rewrite Joseph’s suffering; it reveals it. God’s faithfulness was not demonstrated by the absence of hardship, but by the way God faithfully carried Joseph through it and brought His purposes to completion over time.

Joseph’s story shows that God’s faithfulness is often not a single moment to be identified, but a steady presence discerned only when the story is seen as a whole.

Faithfulness Marked by Mercy

God’s faithfulness in Scripture is never separated from mercy.

The prophet Micah describes a God who pardons sin, delights in mercy, and remains faithful to covenant promises (Micah 7:18–20). Faithfulness is not rigid obligation. It is relational loyalty—God remaining committed to His people even when restoration is needed.

Other passages echo this tone, affirming that God does not willingly afflict or grieve His people (Lamentations 3:31–33). Faithfulness is steady and compassionate, not cold or distant.

God’s Faithfulness Fulfilled in Christ

By the time Jesus appears in the story of Scripture, God’s faithfulness has already been traced through generations of promise and waiting. God has spoken, sustained, forgiven, and preserved His people again and again. Yet something remains unfinished. The promises are real, but their fullness is still ahead.

Jesus enters that long story not as an interruption, but as its fulfillment.

He comes as the One who embodies everything God has been faithful to promise—God with us, God keeping His word. In Jesus, God’s faithfulness takes on flesh and walks among His people.

Jesus lives in perfect alignment with the Father, revealing what faithfulness looks like fully embodied. He remains obedient even when the path leads through suffering. In His death, He bears the weight of human brokenness without abandoning God’s purposes. In His resurrection, God’s faithfulness is revealed not only as endurance, but as victory.

What seemed like loss becomes restoration.
What appeared unfinished is brought to completion.

In Christ, God’s faithfulness is no longer only traced through history. It is secured.

Resting in a Faithful God

Because God’s faithfulness is fulfilled in Christ, trust rests not in ideal circumstances but in who God has revealed Himself to be.

Faithfulness does not remove uncertainty from life, but it does establish a steady foundation beneath it. God remains true to His word. What He begins, He carries forward. What He promises, He completes.

A biblical understanding of God’s faithfulness leads not to striving, but to rest. Scripture reveals a God who keeps His word, remains present through waiting, shows mercy across generations, and fulfills His promises fully in Christ.

To know God as faithful is not simply to affirm a doctrine—it is to live with quiet confidence in the One who remains true to His word.

Grab the Bible Reading Plan on God’s Faithfulness if you missed it!

This year, the word I’m focusing on is journey—my word of the year.

I didn’t choose it because it feels neat or inspiring. I chose it because Scripture keeps insisting on it. Again and again, the Bible describes life with God not as something settled quickly or fully understood early, but as something lived on the move—through departure and delay, obedience and uncertainty, loss and renewal.

As I look ahead to this year, I find myself wanting language that makes room for unfolding rather than arrival, for trust rather than control. I don’t know what to expect this year, but the only constant is change. Scripture’s way of speaking about journey gives me a place to explore without expecting to have a single answer or image of the destination. It invites me to pay attention to how God meets me not only at the destination, but along the way.

Journey Begins Before Understanding

(Genesis 12:1–4)

One of the first things that stands out in Scripture is how often journeys begin before people understand what they’re agreeing to.

Abram is told to leave his land, his people, and his sense of security without being given a clear picture of where he is going or how the promise will unfold. The story moves forward with obedience first and clarity later.

As I sit with this at the start of the year, I think this is happening to me too. It is too soon to talk about, but I’ll fill you in when I can. I’m well aware that I don’t have a full picture of what lies ahead. I very much want more information, more certainty, more reassurance before moving forward. And yet God seems far less concerned with preparedness than with response.

Journey, in the Bible, often begins before things make sense. I am glad to have some years with trusting Him, as he has surely been preparing me, though I still feel unprepared!

Journey Is Slower Than Expected

(Exodus 16–17; Numbers 14)

If journey were only about arrival, Israel’s story would read very differently.

The distance from Egypt to the promised land is not great, yet Scripture records years of wandering marked by repetition, complaint, and daily dependence. What could have been efficient becomes formative. God continues to provide, guide, and remain present even when progress feels stalled (thankfully!).

This challenges something in me. I tend to associate faithfulness with forward motion—clear progress, visible results. Bible accounts disrupt that assumption. Slowness is not treated as failure. Delay is not framed as abandonment. The journey itself becomes the place where trust is reshaped. I will need to remember that the destination is not the accomplishment – the road and the pauses are.

As I think about this year, I’m aware of areas where I want things to move faster than they likely will. Scripture invites me to consider that God may be at work even when the pace feels frustratingly slow or stalled.

Journey Is Lived Step by Step

(Genesis 5:24; Deuteronomy 10:12–13)

Scripture often describes life with God using the simple language of walking.

Enoch is remembered not for accomplishments or outcomes, but for walking with God. Israel is later called not to rush ahead or stand still, but to walk in God’s ways. The imagery is ordinary and unremarkable—and that seems intentional.

Walking suggests repetition, attention, and pace. It’s not dramatic. It doesn’t require mastery. It simply requires staying present and continuing forward. I am easily distracted and often read while on the treadmill. This will be stretching me if it is repetition and slow placed. Perhaps a shift toward prayer on the treadmill would benefit me.

Some Journeys Are Forced, Not Chosen

(2 Kings 24–25; Jeremiah 29:10–14)

Not every biblical journey begins with a calling. Some begin with loss.

Exile is one of Scripture’s most painful journeys—marked by displacement, grief, and the unsettling question of whether God’s promises still hold. God’s people are moved against their will, far from what feels familiar or faithful.

What surprises me is that Scripture does not treat exile as the end of God’s work. God speaks hope into displacement, promising presence and future restoration even there (I need this hope!).

Jesus Shows Where the Journey Leads

(Luke 9:51; Luke 24:13–35)

When Jesus enters the story of Scripture, He is almost always on the move.

He walks dusty roads, withdraws to quiet places, and eventually sets His face toward Jerusalem, fully aware of where that road will lead. He invites others not simply to agree with Him, but to follow—to share the journey.

A significant number of stories in the gospels is about Jesus “on the road” and people stopping him. He does not avoid the hardest parts of the road. His journey leads through suffering before it leads to resurrection. Loss comes before restoration. And yet Scripture presents this not as failure, but as fulfillment. I need to keep in mind that loss, delays and stops along this road called 2026, these are not failure.

God is faithful to carry us through even the darkest stretches in life. Trust, patience, and hope are shaped gradually, often quietly, over time.

Growth unfolds along the way, not after arrival. He works as he walks – inviting us to walk and work as well.

God does not offer immediate clarity nor demand visible progress. He invites faithfulness in movement—showing up, continuing on, and trusting that He is at work even when the changes are barely noticeable.

Living This Year as a Journey With God

Focusing on journey as my word of the year won’t be about predicting what lies ahead. I’m looking forward to seeing how God meets me along the way. I hope he surprises me and that I take it well!

Scripture consistently points to our active God who walks with His people—through clarity and confusion, movement and waiting, stops and starts, beginnings and endings. The Bible does not promise that every step will make sense, but it does promise that the journey is held within God’s faithfulness from beginning to end and He accompanies us.

Faithfulness is one of the attributes of God that many believers affirm quickly—but wrestle with quietly.

Most Christians do not struggle to believe that God is faithful in theory. The deeper question often sounds more personal: Is God faithful here? In this season? With this prayer? Scripture does not avoid those questions. Instead, it reveals a God whose faithfulness is rooted in His character, demonstrated across generations, and ultimately fulfilled in Christ.

The Bible presents God’s faithfulness not as a vague reassurance, but as a lived reality—seen in promises made, promises kept, and a presence that remains steady even when circumstances are not.

What the Bible Means by God’s Faithfulness

When Scripture speaks of God’s faithfulness, it is describing more than dependability. Biblical faithfulness is covenantal. It refers to God’s steadfast commitment to what He has spoken and to the people He has chosen to love.

This is made clear in Deuteronomy 7:7–9, where Moses reminds Israel that God’s love and faithfulness were not earned by their strength, size, or success. God chose them because He loved them and because He keeps the promises He makes.

The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.

Here, God’s faithfulness is anchored in who He is—not in Israel’s performance. Scripture repeatedly affirms that God remains faithful because His character does not change.

God Is Faithful to His Promises

Throughout the Bible, God speaks promises long before their fulfillment is visible. Often, there is a stretch of waiting that tests whether faith will rest in circumstances or in God’s word. From the earliest chapters of Genesis, God initiates promises that unfold slowly and sometimes unexpectedly. Scripture emphasizes not only that God fulfills what He says, but that His word is active and purposeful, accomplishing exactly what He intends—even when the process feels unclear.

The faithfulness of God is not diminished by time. Waiting does not negate His promises; it often deepens trust in them. As the prophet Isaiah 55:10-11 reminds us,

As the rain and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

God’s word is never idle or uncertain. What He speaks is already at work, shaping outcomes we cannot yet see. Just as rain and snow quietly nourish the earth before fruit appears, God’s promises are faithful in their timing and effect. Even when fulfillment feels delayed, His word is accomplishing His purposes—steadily, intentionally, and without fail.

God Is Faithful in Circumstances We Would Never Choose

One of the clearest biblical examples of God’s faithfulness unfolding through hardship is found in the life of Joseph.

Joseph’s story includes betrayal, injustice, false accusation, and years of waiting. From being sold by his brothers to being imprisoned despite his integrity, his life hardly resembles a straightforward story of blessing. Yet Scripture consistently shows that God was present and active in every stage of Joseph’s journey.

What becomes clear later is that God’s faithfulness was not absent during Joseph’s suffering—it was working through it.

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20).

The Bible does not present God’s faithfulness as protection from hardship, but as purposeful presence within it.

God Is Faithful Even When We Are Weak

Scripture also testifies that God’s faithfulness is not dependent on human consistency.

In Micah 7:18–20, God is described as one who delights in mercy, remains compassionate, and stays faithful to His promises despite the failures of His people.

Who is a God like you,
    who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
    of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
    but delight to show mercy.
You will again have compassion on us;
    you will tread our sins underfoot
    and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
You will be faithful to Jacob,
    and show love to Abraham,
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors
    in days long ago.

God’s faithfulness is inseparable from His mercy. He does not remain faithful because His people never fail, but because His commitment does not waver. This truth offers deep assurance to those who feel weary, regretful, or unsure of their own steadiness.

God’s Faithfulness Is Fully Revealed in Christ

The New Testament presents Jesus as the ultimate confirmation of God’s faithfulness. Believers are encouraged to remain steadfast not because life is predictable, but because God is reliable.

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)

In Revelation 1:5–6, Jesus is described as the faithful witness—the one through whom God’s promises are revealed and fulfilled.

and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

In Christ, God’s faithfulness moves from covenant promise to personal reality. What God spoke throughout Scripture is embodied, fulfilled, and secured in Jesus.

What God’s Faithfulness Means for Us Today

Because God is faithful, believers are invited to live with confidence rather than fear and hope rather than despair.

Paul expresses this assurance in Philippians 1:6, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

God’s faithfulness assures us that we are never abandoned, never forgotten, and never outside the reach of His purposes. It invites active trust—not passive resignation—and anchors hope in the unchanging nature of God.

An Invitation for more

This article highlights only a portion of what Scripture reveals about God’s faithfulness. From the Law and the Prophets to the Epistles and Revelation, the Bible consistently testifies to a God who keeps His word and remains present with His people.

If you would like to explore this theme more deeply, I’ve created a free God Is Faithful reading plan that walks through many additional passages, allowing space to sit with Scripture and trace God’s faithfulness across the whole biblical story.

Subscribe below for immediate access to the plan God Is Faithful.

I found that Saturday December 20 is Crossword Puzzle Day. I thought it would be fun to share a puzzle. No signups, nothing fancy - just grab the puzzle and enjoy!

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Word of the Year: Fruitful

When I chose fruitful as my word for the year, I expected growth.

I imagined things unfolding—maybe even expanding. I hoped to see forward momentum in clear ways, in both life and ministry. Something I could point to and say, “Look what grew.” But as the year unfolded, fruitfulness didn’t always show up the way I thought it would.

Instead of measurable growth, there was pruning. Instead of obvious outcomes, there were long stretches of waiting and wondering. And instead of feeling full and flourishing, there were long periods when I didn’t feel fruitful at all.

Looking Back on the Turning Points

There were moments this year that felt more like being undone than being fruitful.
And yet, when I look back now, I can see that something was growing—just not where I expected.

Some of that growth came through the reflections I shared throughout the year:

When You Don’t Feel Fruitful

Fruitful in Community

The Fruit of Repentance

Each of those posts came from a place of quiet, personal movement. Not big revelation. Not external success. Just slow, steady, internal growth.

Lately, I’ve been reflecting a lot on humility and comparison—especially the danger of comparing my beginning to someone else’s middle. It’s not fair to me. It’s not fair to God. When I let comparison lead, I start getting frustrated that I’m not doing things the “right” way or fast enough or as visibly as others. But fruitfulness doesn’t always look like forward motion. And it’s not something I get to control.

There hasn’t been a single “aha” moment this year. Just a patient, quiet invitation from God:
Lay it down. Trust Me with it. Let Me show you what I can grow.

What Fruitfulness Turned Out to Mean

As I look back, fruitfulness didn’t mean fast. Or visible. Or loud.
It meant obedience. It meant surrender. It meant doing the work quietly and faithfully, even when I didn’t see results.

It looked like trusting that God was still working—maybe in ways I couldn’t see yet.

It looked like learning to stop measuring everything by output and instead asking, “Where is God forming me?”
Sometimes fruitfulness wasn’t about what I was producing at all.
Sometimes it was what He was producing in me.
And sometimes, it was what He was doing in others through my small “yes.”

What I’m Grateful For

I’m grateful for the Lord’s patience.
For His presence in the middle of my frustration and uncertainty.
For how gently He keeps showing me: I’m here. I’m working. Even this is fruit.

I’m grateful for the growth in my home and family, in the quiet work I’ve done with my church, and in the unexpected shaping of this ministry-business. And I’m especially thankful for every person who’s joined us here this year. You’ve been part of this fruitfulness—even if we didn’t recognize it at the time.

My prayer is that you have seen fruit this year too—maybe not what you expected, but real nonetheless.

A Prayer

Lord,
Thank You for walking with me through every part of this year.
For the pruning and the promise.
For the growth I saw, and the fruit I didn’t.
For Your quiet work in me—and in others.
Help me carry what I’ve learned forward with trust, gratitude, and joy.
I may not know what next year holds, but I know You’ll be in it.
Amen.

Reflection Questions

Where did I expect to see fruit this year?

What kind of fruit showed up instead?

What internal growth am I thankful for, even if no one else sees it?

What is God inviting me to carry forward?

Sometimes it's the stars—bright and sharp against the night sky, unbothered by everything that keeps us busy. Sometimes it’s the delicate fingers of a newborn, or the hush that falls over a place right after a snowfall. Other times, it’s the sound of a favorite hymn echoing through a sanctuary when you weren’t expecting it.

Awe catches us off guard like that. Wonder slows us down and turns our attention upward. And when we lean into it—on purpose, with open hearts—we find that awe is more than a passing feeling. It’s a spiritual practice.

What Is the Spiritual Practice of Awe & Wonder?

We don’t always think of awe as something to practice, but Scripture points to it again and again. It’s the response of God’s people when they witness His power, hear His voice, or encounter His presence.

Awe is reverence. It puts us in our proper place—small, but not insignificant. Wonder is holy curiosity. It opens our hearts to joy, attentiveness, and worship.

Together, awe and wonder reawaken our spiritual senses. They help us see what we’d otherwise overlook: God’s majesty in creation. His mercy in our ordinary days. His presence, steady and near.

Why Awe Matters

Our culture doesn’t make much room for awe. We’re inundated with information, speed, and distraction. When everything is urgent, very little feels sacred.

But God created us to marvel—to pause and say, “This is beyond me, and I’m thankful.” The Psalms are full of awe-struck language: “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1), and “Come and see what God has done… how awesome His works in man’s behalf!” (Psalm 66:5, NIV).

Awe deepens our worship. It anchors our trust. It reminds us that God is not small—and neither is His goodness.

How to Practice Awe & Wonder

You can’t force awe. But you can create space for it. This isn’t about chasing goosebumps—it’s about noticing God again.

Some ways to practice:

Read a Psalm aloud and pause where your heart stirs.

Sit outside and take in the sky, the trees, the light, without agenda.

Revisit a familiar Bible story and ask, “What amazes me here?”

In worship, reflect on who you’re singing to—not just what you’re singing.

Let a child’s perspective or a moment of beauty interrupt your routine.

These practices are simple. But they make room for the Spirit to draw us into wonder.

Awe in the Life of Jesus

Jesus inspired awe wherever He went. Crowds were amazed at His teaching (Mark 1:22), His healing (Matthew 9:33), His authority (Luke 4:36).

But He also modeled wonder and reverence—lifting His eyes in gratitude, pulling away to be with the Father, and inviting children, the ones most full of wonder, to come to Him. Awe wasn’t a performance. It was the natural response of those who saw Him for who He truly was.

It still is.

Final Thoughts

Awe and wonder won’t solve your problems. But they will reset your perspective, revive your joy, and help you remember that you’re held.

When life becomes dry or demanding, awe makes space to see God again. Not because He left—but because we slowed down long enough to look.

Reflection Question

When was the last time you felt a deep sense of awe before God? What helped open your heart to wonder?

Prayer

God of glory, awaken my heart again. Help me to see Your beauty, Your majesty, Your mercy with fresh eyes. In the midst of routines, remind me of the wonder of Your presence. Let me live today in reverence and joyful trust. Amen.

Awe & Wonder: A December (or anytime!) Invitation
As the year draws to a close and the season of Advent unfolds, we’re surrounded by beauty, light, and sacred story. But in the midst of the rush, it’s easy to miss the wonder. December invites us to slow down—not to do more, but to notice. To open our eyes and hearts in awe at what God has done, is doing, and has promised still to come.

Scripture is full of wonder. From the vastness of creation to the miracle of the Incarnation, awe is not reserved for mountaintop moments—it’s a daily invitation. When we read the psalms, the Gospels, or the prophets, we see a God who moves with majesty and nearness. And we’re invited not just to observe it, but to respond with reverence, praise, and joy.

This month’s reading plan walks through passages that stir holy wonder—both at who God is and how He meets us. Whether it’s the stars above, the quiet of the manger, or the words of Christ, may this journey draw your gaze upward and inward. Let’s finish the year with hearts turned toward awe.

The Awe & Wonder Bible Reading Plan is available as a free download for subscribers. If you already follow us, check your latest newsletter for access. If not, you’re warmly invited to join us and gain access to the full library of resources.

Over the past weeks, we’ve walked through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. We’ve seen how God’s grace shapes our identity, unites His church, and equips us for spiritual battle.

But Paul doesn’t leave us with abstract theology. He presses the gospel into the places where life happens: homes, workplaces, and communities. Ephesians is a letter about how to live in God’s power every day, especially in relationships.

Key Themes to Carry Forward

1. Identity in Christ (Ephesians 1).
You are chosen, adopted, redeemed, and sealed. Your life begins and ends with who God says you are. Free PDF

2. Grace Through Faith (Ephesians 2).
Salvation is God’s gift, not our achievement. And He has prepared good works for us to walk in.

3. Unity in the Body (Ephesians 2–4).
Christ has broken down dividing walls. The church is a family of diverse people called into one Spirit.

4. Relationships Shaped by the Gospel (Ephesians 5–6).

Marriage: Love and respect modeled after Christ’s love for the church.

Family: Obedience and encouragement rooted in the Lord.

Work: Integrity and service as if working for Christ Himself.

5. Strength for the Battle (Ephesians 6).
God equips us with truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the Word. We are not powerless. Free PDF

Why Relationships Matter in Ephesians

Paul’s teaching shows us that living in God’s power isn’t just a private matter of faith. It’s meant to be displayed in the everyday:

In how we treat our spouse.

In how we raise our children.

In how we work with integrity.

In how we build unity in the church.

The gospel is lived out in ordinary spaces, through love, humility, and faithfulness.

Living Forward: How to Keep Ephesians Alive in Daily Life

Root yourself in identity. Start each day remembering who you are in Christ.

Extend grace. Let forgiveness and patience guide your relationships.

Seek unity. Choose peace over division in your community.

Honor Christ at home and work. Let love and respect shape your closest ties.

Stand firm. Put on the armor of God when life feels heavy.

Reflection Questions

Which relationship in my life most needs to be reshaped by Christ?

How can I keep unity and grace alive in my community?

What daily practice can I carry forward from this study?

5-Day Ephesians Introduction Study

This blog series may be wrapping up, but you can keep growing. My 5-day study of Ephesians includes short daily videos and reflection questions to help you continue living in God’s power. Sign up for the free study

Go Deeper with the Ephesians Bible Study

If you’re ready for a full, structured journey through all six chapters, my book Ephesians: Experience God’s Power is designed to guide you. With 8 sessions, reflection questions, and practical application, it’s perfect for individuals or groups. Get your copy here

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