Passage of the Day:
Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers,[c] do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. 22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism, Colossians 3:19-25.
Reflection:
As a former member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Colossians 3:23 was my life verse. The context of this passage is centered around instructions for Christian Households in the first century. At the beginning of this chapter, the apostle Paul writes about the transition from living according to your earthly nature to walking in the Spirit of God. Changing any bad habit is extremely difficult and often results in failure like New Year Resolutions for 2024. Yet, if you want to press on, adopting the mindset of working for the Lord in everything you do is a good place to start.
Prayerful Action:
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 3:17.
Retracing Your Steps:
The apostle Paul appears to warn Christians about the temptation of saying, “look what I’ve done.” Part of this transition from the flesh to the Holy Spirit is giving God the glory, not yourself. As C.S. Lewis once wrote in Mere Christian, “success is the process of arriving, not actual arriving.” No one will ever fully live according to the Holy Spirit, but this is a lifelong journey of faith. Therefore, make working for the Lord your daily goal so that as your mind is renewed by the Bible, Romans 12:1-2, the Lord will become who you seek to please and glorify.
Song of the Day:
Zach Williams writes about some of the struggles you may face in life. Adopting the mindset of working for the Lord often takes time. Therefore, as you struggle to make this transition, hang in there until change gives birth to spiritual progress.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 