“Pablo, apóstol de Cristo Jesús” (Col. 1:1-14) [Spanish Bible Series – Colosians 1:1-2]
Paul starts his letter out forthwith –
Identity he first insists
Is “apóstol”, in which I see
Means “Boundary jumper”, just like me.Which boundary did Paul jump back then?
The Jewish-Greek, then on again
With shift to Europe – changed the course
Of world with gospel’s rich resource.“Cross-culture-boundary-jumper, I”,
Said Paul at outset – ’fore he died –
For it was from a prison cell
He wrote from Rome – his note from hell.’Course Timothy, his buddy there,
Could come and go, breathe freedom’s air;
The “Servant”, “Helper”, like those folks
To whom in Colosas, he wrote.Lord, I hear this quite differently
Now “Kingdom-layer” I’ve come to see
As base Paul lived on, wrote from too,
Not from a prison-cell, his view –But up above, on Kingdom-layer,
Like frozen sheet of ice – whose prayer
Was for all those who, in the world,
Had need of help – so he was bold.He was a TCK like me –
Knew every culture had some need
Of gospel message – that they find
Some missing piece; that God was kind –In helping each to hear good news
In manner which each one could use;
Not answer for some other bloke,
But fit for each; for real; no joke.But in the course of time we’ve lost
Paul’s vision, what his message cost
In terms of freedom, day by day;
We’ve sold him short in church today.But we are also servant-types
Like Timothy, of Jesus Christ;
“Faithful” as best we can today
Despite the fact we lost our way.It’s God, the Father’s will, Paul says,
That he’s apostle all his days;
Now that’s important to my mind –
First piece of insight that I find –As I set out to Spanish read –
Let Spanish text provide the seed
For thought these ocho weeks ahead;
Thanks Lord, for words through which we’re fed.Thanks Lord for this.
navigation