SOAP Part 3: Filling is for everyone

I'm spending some time using the SOAP method of Bible Study and devotion. The American Bible Society has something similar. They ask you to Pray and quiet your heart first. Then Read scripture slowly, noting intriguing words & phrases followed by Reflecting on what hits you as your read and finally Responding to what you've read in prayer and obedience. If the the 3 Rs are easier to remember, then use them.

Scripture: I've been interacting with Colossians 3:16-17.

"Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father."  Col.3.16-17 

I want to make a habit of starting out by "being still" so that I can know that Yahweh is God. Here is a video to help quiet our hearts.

 As I watch and listen to this video, I feel peaceful. It is almost impossible for me to think about all the STUFF I have to do today. Youtube is filled with videos like this. Instead of watching cat videos, quiet your heart before God and prepare to listen to him.

Observation & Application: The words that stand out to me today are "your" and "each other". It is not enough that the message about Christ fill the leader's life. God intends that this message fill each of us. Immediately I begin to think "but how?" As a leader what can I do to "fill" peoples lives with the message. I'm missing the point. The verb of the sentence is "Let". I can't fill myself or anyone else. I allow myself to be filled, that's all. "But the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria and everywhere in the world." Acts 1:8

"Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives." The church is a community where we teach & counsel each other with God's wisdom. If we are being filled with the message of Christ in all its richness, then one of the natural outcomes is that we will build up each other with that message.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us. We have strayed so very far from this. Our community life is focused too much on asking one person, our pastor to teach and counsel us. In our outreaches members teach and counsel each other, but not so much in our YMT group. Lord, I want you to fill with me with message of Christ in all its richness. I want you to fill each of the believers in JIFF with your message. Help us to wait on you, to listen to your message through the Word, and to yield to you, allowing you to fill us. Move us in the direction of becoming a community where everyone is filled with the message about Christ and can teach and counsel each other. We're on the way: EV2 & Kairos have helped us so much. Thank you for them. But Father, give us more. I don't know what that will look like, and I'm sure you want to do something beyond what I can imagine. Lord, we are here. Fill us and use us.  Amen