COLOSSIANS 2:8 - PHILOSOPHY VS. TRUTH

Prayer for Santa Fe

High upon a hilltop 

in the morning light we stood,

And from that view the city looked so clean…

it looked so good;

But as we closed our eyes to pray, 

their faces filled my mind,

And the thing that I remembered most 

was the darkness in their eyes.

      Darkness had filled their minds.

Myriad philosophies had made them blind.

      They were searching for salvation 

      but apart from Christ.

      Could our words bring hope to them 

      and bring them life?

Lord, I pray for Santa Fe, for all of her people who have gone astray,

Who think they’ll find salvation in some mystical New Age.

I pray that You’ll shine down on them 

and show the way.

           

            For darkness has filled their minds.

            Their myriad philosophies 

            have left them blind.

            They’re looking for salvation, 

            but they don’t see Christ.

            Let the things we shared 

            bring them to Your light.

Father, take the seed 

that we planted on that night.

Grow it in their hearts and minds: 

fill them with Your light.

Take away their darkness. 

Replace it with Your truth.

Then let Your light so shine in them 

that it draws more men to You.

            Chase the darkness out of their minds.

            Take the myriad philosophies 

            that made them blind.

            Replace them with salvation, 

            the light of Christ.

            Then let their lives help others see 

            that You are life.

“See to it that no one takes you captive 

through hollow and deceptive philosophy,

which depends on human tradition 

and the basic principles of this world 

rather than on Christ.”

Colossians 2:8

philŏsŏphia⁵³⁸⁵ – from 5386 - Jewish sophistry: - philosophy.

philŏsŏphŏs⁵³⁸⁶ – fond of wise things, i.e. a “philosopher”: - philosopher.

            I wrote the lyrics above after a student mission trip to Santa Fe. I went along as a chaperone and to help with a vacation Bible school at one of the local churches. One evening we took the students (7^th – 12^th graders) to the square in Santa Fe to do some street witnessing.  Most of them had witnessing bracelets with colored beads to explain the basics of the Gospel. We spoke to people of many different religions and philosophies. Much of what they said sounded wise but was contrary to what Christ taught and what we know of God from the Bible. The next morning our youth ministers had the bus driver take us up on a hill with a view of the city, and these lyrics began forming in my mind.  The faces of these seemingly intelligent, wise people flew through my brain, and I realized they all had one thing in common: they were lost. Many of them had been raised in the church but led astray. When I read this verse tonight, I was reminded that we must remain vigilant to test every philosophy, tradition, and principle against the wisdom that is hidden in Christ Jesus in order to prevent being led astray.

            Father, keep me rooted in your word. Help me test every idea against what Jesus taught. May your Holy Spirit enable me to discern truth from deception that I may stay close to you.