devotional series Jul 20-23
This Devotional Series is based on a message delivered on July19, 2026, and can be found at: https://www.kallamgrove.org/messages/is-jesus-really-the-only-way/
If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus
Colossians 1:15
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
One of the questions people ask is, “What is God really like?” Throughout history people have imagined God in countless ways. Some picture Him as distant. Others think of Him as harsh, indifferent, or impossible to know. Left to ourselves, we tend to create a god that looks a lot like our own preferences. Paul answers that question with one simple statement: Jesus is the image of the invisible God.
If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus. When you watch Him welcome children, you see the heart of God. When you see Him touch a leper, forgive a sinner, or weep at the tomb of Lazarus, you are seeing what God is like. When you watch Him willingly go to the cross for His enemies, you are witnessing the love of God on full display.
This is one of Christianity’s greatest treasures. God has not left us to wonder about His character. He has revealed Himself in His Son. That truth also gives us confidence when life is difficult. There are moments when God’s ways seem mysterious. We may not understand why He allows certain circumstances, but we never have to question whether He is loving or good. Jesus has already answered those questions. The more we fix our eyes on Christ, the more clearly we understand the Father. Our faith grows not because we have all the answers, but because we know the One who has made the invisible God visible.
Reflection Question: How would your relationship with God change if you intentionally looked to Jesus whenever you wondered what God is like?
Prayer: Father, help me know You more deeply as I look to Jesus each day.
Every Moment of Every Day, Jesus Truly Holds All Things Together.
Colossians 1:17
And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Most of us spend a great deal of time trying to hold life together. We manage schedules, solve problems, care for family members, pay bills, and navigate unexpected challenges. Some days it feels as though everything depends on us. Paul reminds us that there is only One who truly holds all things together.
This verse is not simply talking about creation in the past. It is written in the present tense. Christ holds together the universe right now. Every moment of every day, Jesus sustains His creation. Nothing exists apart from His continual power. That truth extends beyond the stars and planets. It means your life is not spinning out of God’s control. The circumstances that seem chaotic to you are not chaotic to Him. He is not scrambling to respond to unexpected events. The One who holds the universe together is also holding His people.
That does not mean life will always make sense. There will still be seasons of grief, disappointment, and unanswered questions. But beneath every changing circumstance is the unchanging Christ. His hands have never lost their grip. When we begin to believe that everything depends on us, anxiety quickly follows. But when we remember that Christ is sustaining all things, we are free to trust Him with burdens that are too heavy for us to carry alone.
Today, instead of trying to control everything, rest in the One who never loses control.
Reflection Question: What burden are you trying to carry that you need to place into Christ’s hands today?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me trust that You are holding my life securely even when I cannot see what You are doing.
Through Jesus’ Death, God Made Reconciliation Possible.
Colossians 1:21-22
And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.
One of the most beautiful words in this passage is the word reconciled.
Relationships can become fractured in many ways. Misunderstandings, betrayal, pride, and selfishness can create distance that seems impossible to overcome. Often, one person must take the initiative to restore the relationship.
Paul tells us that our relationship with God was broken because of our sin. We were alienated from Him. Our problem was not simply that we made a few mistakes. Our hearts were turned away from the God who created us. Yet God did not wait for us to fix the relationship. He took the initiative. Through the death of Jesus, He made reconciliation possible.
Notice the goal of that reconciliation. Christ intends to present us holy, blameless, and above reproach before God. Those words describe a standing we could never achieve through our own efforts. They are a gift of grace purchased through Christ’s sacrifice. This should fill us with both humility and confidence. Humility because we could never save ourselves. Confidence because our acceptance before God rests on what Christ has done, not on our performance.
Whenever guilt whispers that God could never receive you, remember this passage. The cross was sufficient to reconcile sinners to God.
Reflection Question: Are you living as someone who has been reconciled to God, or are you still carrying guilt that Christ has already paid for?
Prayer: Father, thank You for reconciling me to Yourself through the sacrifice of Your Son.
Stability is Found By Remaining Anchored to the Gospel.
Colossians 1:23
If indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Paul ends this magnificent passage in an unexpected place. After describing Christ as Creator, Sustainer, and Reconciler, he speaks about perseverance. The Christian life is not simply about making a decision one day. It is about continuing in the faith. Paul describes believers as being stable and steadfast, refusing to drift away from the hope of the gospel.
That image is especially important in our world. Every day we are surrounded by voices competing for our attention. Some promise fulfillment through success. Others through comfort, politics, wealth, or personal achievement. It is easy to slowly shift our confidence from Christ to something else. Paul reminds us that stability is found by remaining anchored to the gospel. Our hope is not in changing circumstances or even in our own strength. Our hope is in the unchanging Christ who died and rose again.
Notice that Paul does not say, “Do not shift from your feelings.” Feelings come and go. He says, “Do not shift from the hope of the gospel.” The gospel remains true whether our emotions are high or low, whether life is easy or difficult. A tree survives a storm because its roots go deep. In the same way, believers remain steadfast by putting their roots deeply into Christ and His Word. As we continue trusting Him day after day, He gives us the strength to remain faithful.
Reflection Question: What practical habit could help you stay more firmly rooted in the hope of the gospel this week?
Prayer: Lord, keep my heart steady and firmly anchored in the hope of the gospel each day.