Say and do unto Christ

Read: Colossians 3:12-17
“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 (NRSV)

I cannot believe that I turned 57 this week. Each year that clicks off in my life, I sit in awe of the time past and the Grace of God. Yesterday, as I sat in my devotional time in my office at home, I began to journal the following:

I’m 57 today by Your (God’s) grace. Thank you for creating me and never giving up on me. Thank you for giving me my mother and father and my siblings. Thank for giving me a wonderful, caring wife, children, and grandchildren. You’ve blessed me so. If this was my last day on this earth, I’ve been blessed beyond belief. Thank you Lord Jesus.

It is by God’s grace that I made it to 57. It is by God’s grace that I feel so blessed. It is by God’s grace that I have the confidence of life beyond death. In the meantime, it is by God’s grace that He calls me, and in fact all of us, to become more and more like his Son, Jesus Christ, serving Him from the heart. It is by God’s grace in that we are to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. It is by God’s Amazing Grace that we become “a touch from God” and live life as Bill Hybels relates:

It should never be said of Christians that as workers they are half-hearted,
careless, tardy, irresponsible, whiney, or negligent. [Behavior] like that
embarrasses God. It brings reproach on Him. At work, Christians should epitomize
character qualities like self-discipline, perseverance, and initiative. They
should be self-motivated, prompt, organized, and industrious. Their efforts
should result in work of the very highest quality. Why? Because they’re not just
laying bricks; they’re building a wall for God’s glory…They’re not just driving
a tractor; they’re [plowing] a strait furrow for God’s glory…Christians must
strive every day to be beyond reproach in all their marketplace dealings and
practices.
from Celtic Daily Prayer: Prayers and Readings from the
Northumbria Community. New York: HarperCollins, 2002.

Interestingly, no matter how old we are, whatever we do, in word or deed, God calls us to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Prayer: O Lord Jesus, thank you for blessing our lives. Help each of us as we prepare for our call to eternity, to live as unto you and be thankful. May your life shine through us and become a “touch from God” to others. Amen.

ReTHINK Church in grace and peace,
Jack