O my soul,

What do you know about knitting?

Listen to the Apostle Paul’s most earnest desire for the Colossians and for those at Laodicea and for us.

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

― Colossians 2:1-3

Paul desires that hearts may be encouraged by being knit together in love. So let’s think about knitting for a while.

The essence of knitting is that the integrity of the whole garment is determined by the integrity of each and every stitch. Every stitch matters for if any single one fails the whole garment unravels into a tangled and useless mess.

And so it is with the church.

Each and every one matters, and the integrity and well-being of each and every one is essential to the integrity and well-being of the whole.

But not only is it about being knit together, it is about being knit together in love. It is only love which can provide stitches of sufficient strength to withstand the trials of life and the attacks of the evil one. Paul expands upon this in his letter to the Ephesians.

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, …

… speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

― Ephesians 4:1-2,15-16

The word for held together is the very same as our word for knitting. The whole body is knit together by each and every joint with which it is equipped, by each and every one, and this is from Christ, so that the body builds itself up in love. It is entirely love and building up and knitting.

Each part must be working properly. O my soul, is each part in fact working properly? Or are some parts neglected or rejected or denied the freedom to function as intended by the Creator? The body must build itself up in love. It must! And every stitch must be protected and nourished and cherished. It must!

But why is Paul’s exhortation here quite so earnest and so urgent. He tells us precisely.

I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 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.

Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no-one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

― Colossians 2:4,8-10,16-19

Beware! The danger here is from within the church, and it is real and present. Beware those who go on about visions, puffed up without reason by self-importance and their sensuous minds. Beware oh-so-plausible arguments. Beware those who insist on asceticism. Beware empty deceit according to human tradition.

So what will save us from these real and present dangers?

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

― Colossians 2:6-7

It is Christ who saves, and we must be abounding in thanksgiving, for thanksgiving is the great leveller.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

― Romans 3:23-24

It is thanksgiving that says I am nothing but a recipient of unmerited grace, and yet at the same time this unmerited grace is all I need. Thank you Lord!

And then what? Paul already told us.

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.

― Ephesians 4:1-2

Let each one walk worthy with the humility that comes from being rescued, with gentleness and patience, bearing with one another in love. Imagine if we all stuck to our knitting, loving and looking after and building up the body of Christ!

O my soul, stick to your knitting and love one another! 🙏