December 11- Colossians 3:1-17
Jesus, our Savior King, we praise You for You are Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace!!!! We thank You for You secure our peace! We fall before You in worship and adoration. Draw near to us, Lord of all.
Have you ever given a gift, and not just any gift, but the bestest gift you could think to give someone? You are so excited and cannot wait to give it and see their jubilant excitement. You wrap it up in the most beautiful paper, adorned with a bow and a tag with their name on it. You get all giddy with joy and pick just the right moment to give it to them. You stand back, breath holding, hands clasped on your chin, trying not to jump for joy. And then it all crashes down around you. The recipient is indifferent and thankless. Ooooo, me too. It stings! Jesus gave even greater gifts than we could ever be able to give. What response have we given Him for those gifts?
The peace that Jesus gifts to us is one of the greatest gifts we can receive, the gift of quiet confidence in our God. A peace so deep, nothing can shake it. And we are to always be thankful and give our thanks to Him. And quite honestly, if one has that kind of peace… one cannot not be thankful! It will just spill out of us everywhere. It is the only adequate response to the peace gift.
Verses 1, 2, and 5 instruct us to this peace. Let’s take a look. We are to seek the things that are where Jesus is and set our minds on Him and not on this world. And we are to confess our sins and put to death all that does not bring God glory. This new life in Christ will bless you with peace!
“Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
and with fear and trembling stand;
ponder nothing earthly minded,
for, with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
our full homage to demand.”
Paraphraser: Gerard Moultrie (1864)
My Verse: “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15
My Response: Jesus, I praise You for You are Prince of Peace! The peace that fills every crevice of my being. I thank You for You came and have given me second birth. Lord, help me to remember who I am in you, beloved. May I return my thanks by dressing in my new life: clothes of kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. And above all, by loving others.
Further Reading: Romans 5:1-11; Philippians 4:2-9
What’s next?
As the Spirit leads, share what He has laid on your heart in the comment section below. Then join us again tomorrow for the next commentary.
1 Comment. Leave new
Sharon’s morning thoughts: I loved this phrase, Melissa, that was part of your description of the kind of peace God gives: “the gift of quiet confidence in our God”. Such a lovely way of saying it!
My verse: “Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.”
My response: This is our task – to become new people as we know You more, dear Lord, so we can be like You in all our decisions and interactions. “Taking time to know God and love Him more and more” is our Sweet Selah slogan and this verse really reinforces the importance of knowing YOU – our great, wonderful, good God, Savior, Father, Friend. Help us know You and to love You more and more!