June 19 - Colossians 3:15
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”
When Paul told us to put on love, he was telling us to actively do something. Putting something on requires an action. In this verse, he is asking us to allow something to happen, to let peace rule in our hearts. This is a much more passive request. We don’t have to do anything, we just simply let Christ bring peace into our hearts.
I imagine that after I have clothed myself and finished by putting on love, I sit down, relax and allow Christ to move into my heart, bringing peace. I am curled up with my favorite flannel shirt in front of a roaring fire in the early morning, with the outside temperature crisp and cool. As I lay my head back and relax, contentment and peace flow through me and I know that I am filled with the peace of Christ.
When I owned the print shop, I didn’t know much peace. I would start in the morning, tear through the work day, then head off to whatever church function I needed to deal with, drop into bed at night hoping for a few hours of sleep before I started all over again the next day. I remember praying for peace. I could never relax enough to let Jesus bring that peace to me. I felt like I always had to be doing something or the entire world would drop out from under me.
I was actively pursuing everything that a Christian should be doing. But, I had left so much of Jesus behind me while I ran after His work. I followed the rules, I did my thing, I encouraged people, I built programs and I wore myself out. Nothing changed in the world … except me as I allowed myself to slowly become someone I didn’t recognize.
We have to let Him bring peace into our hearts. And then, Paul puts us back on active duty. Then, we have to be thankful.
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”
When Paul told us to put on love, he was telling us to actively do something. Putting something on requires an action. In this verse, he is asking us to allow something to happen, to let peace rule in our hearts. This is a much more passive request. We don’t have to do anything, we just simply let Christ bring peace into our hearts.
I imagine that after I have clothed myself and finished by putting on love, I sit down, relax and allow Christ to move into my heart, bringing peace. I am curled up with my favorite flannel shirt in front of a roaring fire in the early morning, with the outside temperature crisp and cool. As I lay my head back and relax, contentment and peace flow through me and I know that I am filled with the peace of Christ.
When I owned the print shop, I didn’t know much peace. I would start in the morning, tear through the work day, then head off to whatever church function I needed to deal with, drop into bed at night hoping for a few hours of sleep before I started all over again the next day. I remember praying for peace. I could never relax enough to let Jesus bring that peace to me. I felt like I always had to be doing something or the entire world would drop out from under me.
I was actively pursuing everything that a Christian should be doing. But, I had left so much of Jesus behind me while I ran after His work. I followed the rules, I did my thing, I encouraged people, I built programs and I wore myself out. Nothing changed in the world … except me as I allowed myself to slowly become someone I didn’t recognize.
We have to let Him bring peace into our hearts. And then, Paul puts us back on active duty. Then, we have to be thankful.
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1 comments:
Wow,nice, one of the best read posts so far.
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