August 18

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, which is the church. — Col 1:24 BSB

Paul makes a surprising statement in today’s reading—he says that he must complete what is lacking in Christ’s sufferings.

Was Christ’s sacrifice not enough for the redemption of the world? Was His work incomplete? Does something still need to be added to His atonement? No—on the cross, Christ said, “It is finished.” He paid the full price.

What Paul meant was that while Christ had completed the work of redemption, His followers must share in His sufferings to bring the message of salvation to others.

We can only make people believe in Christ’s love by loving as He loved. We can only show them the cross by taking it up in our own lives.

Christ gave Himself once to redeem the world. Now we, His followers, must give ourselves to make His redemption real to the world. When we ask Christ to have compassion on others, He responds, “I have had compassion—My work is done. Now you must have compassion and reach out to save them.”