Fullness

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. Colossians 2:9-10

In the beginning was the Word.... We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only (John 1).
The One that shaped the stretching, starry, glowing galaxies, that formed the burning sun that can fit 1.3 million earths.
The One who was transfigured in glory on the mountaintop, crowned with the Father's approval (Mark 9:2-13).
The One who will come back, King of kings, on a white horse, Faithful and True, judges, and makes war, eyes like a flame of fire, and countless diadems encircle his head, commander of the armies of heaven (Revelation 19:11-16).
Shekinah glory.
The timeless God.
The limitless God.
The fullness of God.
This is Christ.

And according to this passage, we are filled with him. Paul has again and again emphasized the sufficiency of Christ as the Author of our faith, the Liberator, Redeemer, Favored Son, Creator, Lord, Head of the Church, the Victor, the Hope of Glory, the Perfector. This Exalted Lord touches his people--touches me, touches you--intimately and fills us.

We, the poor of the world. The ones laughed at and ridiculed. The ones who have recognized that we are truly nothing and have nothing, and have recognized our poverty of spirit. The ones who know we are not wise by worldly standards, nor powerful, but are low and despised, and are not and nothings (1 Corinthians 1:26-29). But because of his goodness, grace, mercy, and love we are filled.

My emptiness.... his fullness.
My pain....his joy.
My troubles.... his peace.
My depravity....his glory.
My alienation.... his sonship.
My isolation...his friendship.
My finiteness...his infinitude.
My weakness... his strength.

What is this filling? Not just a filling of a feeling of happiness nor a feeling of purpose. Not just a psychological filling of a sense of well-being, or significance, or self-esteem. Not just some abstract mystical, spiritual experiential filling. Rather, it is a filling with himself, with Christ himself. The fullness of God. In us. He is our life, our all in all. The essence of the Church, his people. Can we really wrap our mind around it? The Creator of the Galaxies filling us?

Sometimes I am tempted to immediately jump and delineate, outline exactly what fullness means. Try to bullet point it. Someway to wrap my mind around it. Understand it.

But

Mystery

Stay still

Awash

Fullness

Full

Filled