The Bible instructs in Colossians 3:15 (NIV), “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace, and be thankful.” Now there is one of those commands that you won’t read in the Ten Commandments. Nevertheless, it is a Biblical command or imperative.
Are you being obedient in this dimension of your spiritual life? Surprisingly, many religious people never do something as simple as bowing their head for a simple prayer of thanksgiving before they eat; neither in the privacy of their home nor a public restaurant.
Just as some would rebut that you can’t command love, some would reason that you can’t command gratitude. Not so! Living under the Lordship of Jesus Christ means that he commands us in every area.
Be thankful. If you go back and read the verse again, there is the implication that peace in the heart is related to gratitude, and peace in the church is related to the common feeling and expression of thanksgiving. Thankful people are peaceful in church life!
Thanksgiving means that I know that every good and perfect gift comes from God. (James 1:17) I am related to the source of all good. I know who I am. That gives me a feeling of security because I know that my God can be trusted to supply all my needs. (Philippians 4:19)
If my life is unified around this principle and I am a member of a church where people share this principle, then our fellowship as Christians will indeed be sweet.
Is Christ ruling your heart? Did you obey this command yesterday at your Thanksgiving dinner? Or did you just mouth the words? Have you obeyed it today? Some out of habit, culture, or ritual may have said, “Thank You, God” yesterday because they were eating with religious people. But today, you are on your own. Will you obey? Be thankful!
“Lord, You know that we can forget this Command just as quickly as we
can forget one of the Ten. Wake us up to the big picture of thanks. Amen”
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment