Richly

DEVOTION
COLOSSIANS
RICHLY
Col 3:16-17
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
NIV
Is there a difference between the word of Christ dwelling in me and dwelling in me richly? Never really thought about that, but it is time to do just that, think about it. There certainly seems to be this action of teaching and admonishing one another with all wisdom, and of course doing that while I am singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in my heart to God. I suppose it would be quite impossible to accomplish all those things, if the word of Christ simply just dwelled in me but not richly. I suppose I could go through the motions of teaching. I guess I could try to admonish others with wisdom, but I think those two would fall flat. I do enjoy greatly singing the psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. I enjoy singing when I am alone in my car driving down the bylaws of my territory. That, of course, is the best place I sound good. But still I enjoy singing in church with my fellow believers as well. I am lifted in his presence at those times and I am filled with gratitude because of Christ and what he did for me. At those times I do feel as though his words are dwelling in me richly. I am feeling blessed and loved by God. It is almost as if I am walking side by side with him. I need this richly part so much in my life because I also know he has called me to teach and admonish. But this is for everyone else too. Everyone has been called here to teach and admonish as well. It is for everyone. How does that work? It does require each and every one of us to continue to have a teachable spirit open to what others have to say as long as they have the word of Christ richly dwelling in them. All I know is that is the desire of my heart. I desire his word to be richly dwelling in me. I need his word to dwell in me richly for without that there is nothing.