In The Margins

Colossians 1:1-8

9 For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, 10 so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light. 13 He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. 14 In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Last year, I got really into fantasy football. For those unfamiliar, it’s a game where friends draft professional players to form teams and score points based on real-life performance. I had played before, but last year was different—I went all in. At first, I could only name a handful of players, but after diving into podcasts and research, I began to understand the game in a whole new way.

Now, as this season begins, I’m excited to jump back in. One of the best parts of fantasy football is the live draft, where everyone competes to pick their players. It’s competitive, strategic, and a lot of fun.

Last year, when draft night came, I knew nothing. I had no plan and no strategy.
This year is different. I have a strategy. I have a plan.

Why? Because knowledge changes how you act. My understanding of football—players, stats, and trends—now shapes the way I approach the game. Paul makes this same point in Colossians: knowledge of God’s will changes how you live.

Ultimately, knowing God’s will leads you to a life that pleases Him. And what is His will? That you walk in the light and live in the Kingdom of Christ. Verses 13–14 remind us: you have been rescued and transferred. You’ve been pulled out of darkness and brought into light! Let that fill your heart with gratitude!!! 

Think about the darkness around you:

• the brokenness of the world,
• the toxicity of certain relationships,
• the confusion and mistakes tied to sin and unrighteousness.

If your hope and faith are in Christ, you’ve been lifted out of that. You’ve been given an alternative existence—one marked by redemption and the forgiveness of sins. James Rebanks has coined this phrase “This is my life. I want no other.” As a Christian, I believe that the only way to live that type of life—one of purpose, of consequence, full of holiness and righteousness—is through the growing knowledge of his (God’s) will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

-How has growing in your knowledge of God shaped the way you live and make decisions?

-What “darkness” in your life has God rescued you from, and how does remembering that deepen your gratitude today?

-Where do you see the tension between the brokenness of the world and the light of Christ in your daily life? How do you respond to it?

-What practical steps can you take this week to walk more fully in the light of Christ and live out your identity in His Kingdom?

For further reading and study: 2 Corinthians 4:4 ; Romans 14:17-18