And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through [H]im. Colossians 3: 15-17, NRSV.
Gracious God, As we rose from our beds and looked out of our windows at the beauty of nature; we rejoiced. Your peace invaded our hearts, and our spirits were lifted up in hope. We ask now that You will remain with us, as we study Your Word, for Christ’s sake. Amen.
In our day, we hear a lot being said about “lifestyles.” People adopt new lifestyles as they become convinced of the benefits of certain practices. Others, abandon certain habits after they discover that these habits endanger their well-being. Most of us live a certain way, because we have proven the benefits of living that certain way. Unfortunately, some are not convinced, but are coerced, into adopting certain life practices. It should not be so among the body of believers.
For the past few days we have been listening to some of the advice the apostle was sharing with members of the Community of Faith; apparently some of the newer members, of “the Body of Christ.” He was introducing them to the “holistic” lifestyle that is to be found in the Gospel of Christ. It takes into consideration the “whole” of the individual. He begins by admonishing them to allow the peace of Christ to rule in their hearts. “Let it take over your very existence. In this way there will be peace among you. And indeed you were called by Christ (the Messiah), to live in peace.” That is why Christ, before returning to the Father, left us His peace (John 14: 27). That makes all the difference in the world. Christ’s peace was so profound that “He did not retaliate when [H]e was insulted, nor threaten revenge when [H]e suffered. [H]e left [H]is case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly” (1 Peter 2: 23, NLT). If there must be peace in the “Body of Christ,” it must begin with the individual member. We must internalize Christ’s peace.
Then He encourages them to cultivate a spirit of gratitude. Practice being thankful. A spirit of thankfulness has been one of heaven’s greatest blessings to me. I tend to worry about things. After everything that God has done for me, I should be one hundred percent “worry free. ” Unfortunately, I am not there yet. Yet, what always manages to lift my spirit is the practice of praising Him for what He has already done for me, and what I know He will do for me, in the future. A spirit of gratitude is contagious. It was beneficial to the early church, and I have no doubt, that it will continue be a blessing to all of us who form a part of the Body of Christ, in all ages.
The work would not be complete, if we, as individual members, did not allow the Word of God to “dwell” in us and become a part of our very being. A practical knowledge of the Word of God, will produce wisdom; which we can share with each other, for the growth of the saints. Then he mentions music. When in love to God we sing His praises, it takes our souls to a higher level, and prepares our hearts for the spoken, and written, Word. This practice would greatly bless the new converts, and the Body of Christ, as a whole. Notice that He mentioned at least three genres of music. So there is room for variety in music when it is rendered with gratitude in [the] heart to the Lord! Music in honor of the King of kings can be very therapeutic.
“Finally, he says, “Whatever you do, keep in mind, that you are doing it for the Lord.” When we serve God, let us put our all into it. When we remain focused, in our service to Him; there is little, or no, room, for the enemy of our souls to come in and create havoc among the saints. The “Good News” is good for our body, our soul, and our emotions. The “Good News” is holistic.
NOTE: My regrets for the late publication of our devotional.