Colossians 3:1-11

Colossians 3:1-11
1-2 So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective. 3-4Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you’ll show up, too—the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ. 5-8And that means killing off everything connected with that way of death: sexual promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That’s a life shaped by things and feelings instead of by God. It’s because of this kind of thing that God is about to explode in anger. It wasn’t long ago that you were doing all that stuff and not knowing any better. But you know better now, so make sure it’s all gone for good: bad temper, irritability, meanness, profanity, dirty talk. 9-11Don’t lie to one another. You’re done with that old life. It’s like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you’ve stripped off and put in the fire. Now you’re dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ.

Devotion (Jen Bunch):
Colossians is one of my favorite books, and I especially love the beginning of this chapter. The Message translation, in particular, doesn’t mince words. “If you’re serious about living this…life with Christ, act like it!” Sometimes I know I need to be reminded to be thankful for the incredible blessings that I’ve been given and start living my life like I’m grateful to have a Savior! Then Paul (the author of this book of the Bible) goes on to say, “Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with things right in front of you.” How often do you notice that you seem overwhelmed with daily tasks? I know for me, it’s more often than I’d like. I find myself fretting at times about not getting dinner made on time (or at all ), or failing to complete all of my assigned tasks at work for that day – hence, piling on the work that will come tomorrow.
Then I read this scripture: “Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.” LOOK UP! Of course! That’s where the action is. I need to refocus my attention on what Christ is doing around me. Join in with the work you see happening around you. Change your focus so that you can see what is occuring from the perspective of Christ – who knows us most and loves us best. LOOK UP!

Prayer:
God, thank you so much for choosing to love me. I confess that I sometimes shuffle along with my focus on the wrong things. Help me to daily change my perspective so that I look up and see the world and others the way you want me to see them. Help me to “get in on the action,” and show your love to others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.