And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15
The above passage of Scripture was recently the Verse of the Day, on BibleHub.com. God’s timing is perfect. I needed that verse. This year I needed to be reminded to let Christ’s peace rule my heart, and to be thankful!
Spiritual Atoms
Jesus is ready to send His unique peace into each believer to rule our hearts. Sign me up! I need a steadier hand than mine guiding my life. Family pressures, financial pressures, social pressures, ad Infinitum lend themselves as so many voices telling me what to accept as right.
I thank God for the Scriptures 1that tell me what is right. And I have Jesus, the Son of God, who is my righteousness2, and the Holy Spirit within me to guide me3, to gird me, and guard me as I walk where He leads. In all of this and more, I am to be thankful to God. How could I not be?
Peace and thankfulness are like two spiritual atoms. Just as sodium and chloride (NaCl) are two atoms that, when combined, form a molecule commonly known as table salt, likewise, peace and thankfulness, when combined in the abiding presence of Jesus give us lives that are full of joy and impactful to others for Jesus.
Thanksgiving
We are about to celebrate Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday. I enjoy it because it compels each of us to search our hearts to find whom we give our thanks. If Jesus isn’t actually first on our list, then we need to go back to the cross of Jesus and be reminded of the sacrifice that He gave “for the joy set before Him4.”
Over our Thanksgiving meal we share and develop companions – the word companion comes from the Latin words which means with bread. There is something special about sharing a meal with others. Throughout the Bible, we see example after example of people sharing meals and even God sharing meals with people.
Abraham shared a meal with the pre-incarnate Jesus5, the elders of the tribe of Israel shared a meal in the presence of God6, the Last Supper of Jesus7, and the list goes on. God blesses these occasions.
Therefore, let all of us “Give thanks in everything, for this is the will of God toward you in Christ Jesus.8”
Photo by Pro Church Media on Unsplash
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1 – 2 Timothy 3:16–17 NIV
2 – Philippians 3:9
3 – 1 Corinthians 6:19
4 – Hebrews 12:2
5 – Genesis 18:1–2
6 – Exodus 24:9–11
7 – Matthew 26:26–30
8 – 1 Thessalonians 5:18