Daily Devotions
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Colossians 1:13-20 – He [God] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the Head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.
I really love this passage for its descriptions of Jesus. How in the world did Paul manage to pack in so much good stuff about Him? It would take days to even start to unpack all the meaning in this passage!
But the one thing Paul keeps stressing is that Jesus is first. He is the uncreated God, through whom all things were created, and to whom they all belong—and yet He is also truly human, and thus the highest and most glorious, the first of all creation. He is first in the church, as our Head—and He is the first to rise from the dead, never to die again. In so many ways, Jesus is first—highest—most glorious. And then we come down with a thump to this: “making peace by the blood of His cross.”
Because Jesus is also first in another way—first in lovingkindness and mercy, beyond anything I could have ever imagined before I knew Him. Because Jesus knew what it would cost Him to bring us home to God, and He still did it. Pain? Shame? Fear and grief and abandonment? Jesus took it all, so that we might be at peace with God, forgiven and beloved. And He was not sorry.
And now that Jesus has risen from the dead, we have life in Him forever. We will never lose Him, or He us. Because Jesus is restoring all of God’s broken creation—not just us, but everything. When He is finished, there will be no more crying or grief or sorrow or death. We will be with Him in that new creation, and we will be full of joy. And we will celebrate Jesus, who is first in all things—and first in our hearts forever.
WE PRAY: Dear Lord, You are so high, and yet You loved me and came to save me. Thank You. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
- Do you know anyone who is “number one” in his or her field?
- Would you expect someone who is first to make himself last? Why or why not?
- Why does God call Jesus “beloved”? Would you use that name for Him?
Today's Readings:
Ezekiel 11-131 Timothy 6