Passage of the Day:
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him, Colossians 3:12-17.
Reflection:
The context of today’s featured passage follows the apostle’s Paul call to members of the Church at Colosse to put to death their old self. One misnomer about becoming a Christian is that after you enter into a personal relationship with Jesus, Romans 10:9-10, desires to sin will dissipate. Like trying to eat healthy, exercise daily or work out at the beginning of a new year, bad habits don’t suddenly leave you. Rather, genuine spiritual change requires your whole heart. Unfortunately, people tend to be halfhearted, returning to past addictions and bad habits when you feel like it. If you want to begin experiencing spiritual victories in 2024, give your heart whole to God and the Lord will take care of the rest.
Prayerful Action:
What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end, Ecclesiastes 3:9-11.
Restoring Your Heart:
Over my forty-year faith journey, I’ve discovered that listening to Christian music is one of the best tools for restoring my heart. Although I may not always find the perfect song to minister to me when I’m experiencing a rough stretch in life, there’s always one chorus or part of the lyrics that speaks to my heart. The next time you find yourself falling back into bad habits, lean on Christian music to enable you to give your whole heart to God going forward.
Song of the Day:
Final Thoughts:
Christian artists also experience the highs and lows in life. Jennifer Knapp, like Ray Boltz, has struggled with gender and identity issues for years. Yet, at the time Jennifer wrote Fall Down, she was trying to convey her own personal crisis. Nonetheless, each time I listen to the lyrics, my heart is moved and touched by God. May your own spiritual journey be enhanced today as you strive toward giving your whole heart to God.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 