“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17, ESV)
Each day of your life, you will do things. You may go to work, go to school, be on vacation, or prepare for some upcoming event. There will always be things you need to accomplish. In the same way, each day of your life you will say things. When you are alone, you may speak only to yourself in your mind. When at work, you might deal with customers, chat with fellow workers, listen to a supervisor, or acknowledge a visitor. All in all, you will do things and say things throughout your day.
Today’s scripture places a challenge before you. Paul wrote in Colossians 3:17 that “whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him”. This scripture challenges you to keep “the Lord Jesus” in the forefront of your mind throughout your day. Despite all your day may entail, even when everything goes wrong, you still need to “give thanks to God the Father through him”. That is not easy!
When the Black Death plague struck Europe in the fourteenth century, millions died. Whole families were wiped out by the severity of the illness. Towns often had the terrible decision to separate the sick from the healthy, leaving the sick to suffer and die. Knowing the suffering the people faced, a group of monks in Europe dedicated themselves to taking care of the sick in their town, despite the risk to their lives. They got down to work. They cleaned, prepared food for those who could eat, changed the bedding of those who were too weak to get out of bed, and even buried those who died. They gave last rites to the dying, prayed over the sick, and gave comfort to families. Everything they did, in word or deed, was done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Some think of God in everything they do, in word or deed, in every part of their day. They wake up and thank the Lord for another day to serve. They think of others as the time passes. They say little prayers to God throughout the day. They help where they can. They do their fair share of the work. Then, they close their day with another prayer to thank God for all the blessings of the day. This constant spiritual attention makes all the difference.
Paul wrote the Roman church: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:9–12). To the Thessalonian church, Paul also wrote “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18). Paul desired that every Christian keep constant communication with God throughout the day, in word and deed living out that true faith.
Sadly, I have found that only true Christians keep a running dialogue with God. All too many Christians don’t have a constant prayer life. They might only pray on Sundays, only at worship, only when they remember, or only at night before bed. They might only worship on Christmas and Easter, not give God time each day. They don’t “pray without ceasing”. They don’t “give thanks in all circumstances”. They don’t think to do “everything in the name of Jesus”. They don’t consistently show love toward others. They don’t frequently include Jesus in their normal routine.
If you desire to have a great relationship with God in Christ, you need to cultivate this constant connection with God. If you find your spiritual life is weak and your relationship with God in Christ lacking, chances are you have neglected to keep a constant connection with God in every day. I’m not advocating you drop to your knees in prayer forty times a day! I’m not suggesting you go visit the church building at least twice a week. Like the Apostle Paul, I’m simply advocating that you keep a constant prayer going in your head all day. I’m hoping your talk and actions display your faith each and every day. Does each day of yours include “God-centered moments”?
When Caroline came to visit me in my office, her life was in shambles. Her marriage was on the rocks. God felt distant. Her prayer time lasted seconds every few weeks or months. Then came depression. Then came the huge increase in arguments with family. Caroline described her life as “circling the toilet”. We decided to meet for a few weeks and talk.
At my counseling sessions with Caroline, I let her pour out her frustrations, anger, hurt, and feelings. We talked about what she wanted out of life and what she was doing each day. Then, after a few weeks, I asked Caroline to do something each day. I asked her to go into her bedroom and close the door. I asked her to take a pencil, notepad, and her Bible in there and stay for precisely thirty minutes no matter what. She could have no interruptions. I asked her to read one chapter from the gospels, then write or draw whatever she wanted in the notepad. She was then to bring the notepad to each counseling session. We did this for several months.
As the counseling sessions continued, Caroline’s notepad began to change. It started that Caroline wrote down a lot of fragmentary feelings, shared hurts, and complaints in the notepad. But as the weeks went by, what she wrote in the notepad changed. After six weeks, I asked her to write a prayer to God also in the notepad. After two months, what Caroline included in the notepad visibly changed. No longer were there an abundance of hurts and complaints. Often, there was thanks to God. Often, she included the names of those she for whom she prayed. During counseling, Caroline began to smile more. Her husband noticed that the arguments had died down and peace was coming back to the household. The more time Caroline purposefully spent including God in her day, the more peace and joy and clarity came back to her mind, soul, and household.
If you find that your mind is anxious, your heart is burdened, or everything seems chaotic, look to put Jesus “in everything you do and say”. Include God in each day. Give thanks throughout the week. You just might find that its not God who is distant, but your spiritual connection with God has been neglected.
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Today, let me be an instrument of Your peace, dear God! Let my thoughts center on the blessings around me as well as Your Spirit within me. May I keep You at the forefront of my mind. May my prayers reflect a desire to be in Your presence.
In the name of Jesus Christ, I have made promises that I intend to keep. I will not let worldly voices or ideals keep me from a faithful and graceful life. No matter how much Satan desires to twist my priorities or intrude on my thoughts, I will keep coming back to You. I will pray to You. I will pour my heart out to You. I will be honest with You always.
When life becomes chaotic, let me keep You front and center. Let the gospel of Jesus Christ direct my steps toward the straight and narrow path that leads to righteousness.
Lately, these people have been on my mind and heart: ________________________________ . Lord, watch over them. Speak to them through Your Holy Spirit. Guard their souls from the evil forces that would gladly wreck their relationship with You. I place their future firmly in Your care.
I ask all this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Today’s scripture places a challenge before you. Paul wrote in Colossians 3:17 that “whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him”. This scripture challenges you to keep “the Lord Jesus” in the forefront of your mind throughout your day. Despite all your day may entail, even when everything goes wrong, you still need to “give thanks to God the Father through him”. That is not easy!
When the Black Death plague struck Europe in the fourteenth century, millions died. Whole families were wiped out by the severity of the illness. Towns often had the terrible decision to separate the sick from the healthy, leaving the sick to suffer and die. Knowing the suffering the people faced, a group of monks in Europe dedicated themselves to taking care of the sick in their town, despite the risk to their lives. They got down to work. They cleaned, prepared food for those who could eat, changed the bedding of those who were too weak to get out of bed, and even buried those who died. They gave last rites to the dying, prayed over the sick, and gave comfort to families. Everything they did, in word or deed, was done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Some think of God in everything they do, in word or deed, in every part of their day. They wake up and thank the Lord for another day to serve. They think of others as the time passes. They say little prayers to God throughout the day. They help where they can. They do their fair share of the work. Then, they close their day with another prayer to thank God for all the blessings of the day. This constant spiritual attention makes all the difference.
Paul wrote the Roman church: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:9–12). To the Thessalonian church, Paul also wrote “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18). Paul desired that every Christian keep constant communication with God throughout the day, in word and deed living out that true faith.
Sadly, I have found that only true Christians keep a running dialogue with God. All too many Christians don’t have a constant prayer life. They might only pray on Sundays, only at worship, only when they remember, or only at night before bed. They might only worship on Christmas and Easter, not give God time each day. They don’t “pray without ceasing”. They don’t “give thanks in all circumstances”. They don’t think to do “everything in the name of Jesus”. They don’t consistently show love toward others. They don’t frequently include Jesus in their normal routine.
If you desire to have a great relationship with God in Christ, you need to cultivate this constant connection with God. If you find your spiritual life is weak and your relationship with God in Christ lacking, chances are you have neglected to keep a constant connection with God in every day. I’m not advocating you drop to your knees in prayer forty times a day! I’m not suggesting you go visit the church building at least twice a week. Like the Apostle Paul, I’m simply advocating that you keep a constant prayer going in your head all day. I’m hoping your talk and actions display your faith each and every day. Does each day of yours include “God-centered moments”?
When Caroline came to visit me in my office, her life was in shambles. Her marriage was on the rocks. God felt distant. Her prayer time lasted seconds every few weeks or months. Then came depression. Then came the huge increase in arguments with family. Caroline described her life as “circling the toilet”. We decided to meet for a few weeks and talk.
At my counseling sessions with Caroline, I let her pour out her frustrations, anger, hurt, and feelings. We talked about what she wanted out of life and what she was doing each day. Then, after a few weeks, I asked Caroline to do something each day. I asked her to go into her bedroom and close the door. I asked her to take a pencil, notepad, and her Bible in there and stay for precisely thirty minutes no matter what. She could have no interruptions. I asked her to read one chapter from the gospels, then write or draw whatever she wanted in the notepad. She was then to bring the notepad to each counseling session. We did this for several months.
As the counseling sessions continued, Caroline’s notepad began to change. It started that Caroline wrote down a lot of fragmentary feelings, shared hurts, and complaints in the notepad. But as the weeks went by, what she wrote in the notepad changed. After six weeks, I asked her to write a prayer to God also in the notepad. After two months, what Caroline included in the notepad visibly changed. No longer were there an abundance of hurts and complaints. Often, there was thanks to God. Often, she included the names of those she for whom she prayed. During counseling, Caroline began to smile more. Her husband noticed that the arguments had died down and peace was coming back to the household. The more time Caroline purposefully spent including God in her day, the more peace and joy and clarity came back to her mind, soul, and household.
If you find that your mind is anxious, your heart is burdened, or everything seems chaotic, look to put Jesus “in everything you do and say”. Include God in each day. Give thanks throughout the week. You just might find that its not God who is distant, but your spiritual connection with God has been neglected.
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Today, let me be an instrument of Your peace, dear God! Let my thoughts center on the blessings around me as well as Your Spirit within me. May I keep You at the forefront of my mind. May my prayers reflect a desire to be in Your presence.
In the name of Jesus Christ, I have made promises that I intend to keep. I will not let worldly voices or ideals keep me from a faithful and graceful life. No matter how much Satan desires to twist my priorities or intrude on my thoughts, I will keep coming back to You. I will pray to You. I will pour my heart out to You. I will be honest with You always.
When life becomes chaotic, let me keep You front and center. Let the gospel of Jesus Christ direct my steps toward the straight and narrow path that leads to righteousness.
Lately, these people have been on my mind and heart: ________________________________ . Lord, watch over them. Speak to them through Your Holy Spirit. Guard their souls from the evil forces that would gladly wreck their relationship with You. I place their future firmly in Your care.
I ask all this in the name of Jesus. Amen.