Wearing Love, Cultivating Thankfulness

Wearing Love, Cultivating Thankfulness

Grace invites us to try on a new kind of wardrobe. One that God has chosen for us: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Did you just audibly sigh? Don’t worry, I know. The godly wardrobe doesn’t quite fit! But I know a Master Taylor who can help us: The Holy Spirit. When we invite Jesus to live in our heart the Holy Spirit starts working on our new kind of wardrobe. Gently he keeps on working on us and by God’s grace the new kind of wardrobe starts to look good on us.

So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it. (Col. 3: 12-14, MSG)

The most important part of the wardrobe is love. We are called to wear love, live in love, and share love with everybody we meet. We are called to treat the people we meet with gentleness because each one of us is battling with tough issues in life. We are called to empower each other, show compassion and kindness. There is no way we can do this but by God’s grace, strength and power. When we embrace God fully it is not us who is loving the people we meet: it’s God through us, in us, for us, with us. When we love, God is truly among us.

Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way. (Col. 3: 15-17, MSG)

Apart from Christ we can’t be what God wants us to be. If we don’t commune with Christ we can’t become holy like him. But if we do give plenty of room in our lives for Christ we grow into the wardrobe God has picked out for us.

Apart from Christ we don’t feel thankful, especially not in the middle of chaos, sickness, and stress. If we live every detail in our lives for the glory of God we start seeing things around little differently. If we ask for spiritual eyes we start detecting divinity around us. When we start counting our blessings we cultivate thankfulness.

Apart from Christ we don’t feel like being content with second place. Without the Holy Spirit moving in us forgiveness is impossible. Only by letting the peace of Christ keep us in tune with each other we wear love, share love, and live in love. And then God is truly among us.

 

Gracious God,
Without you we can’t love,
without you we can’t breath.
Come and be our everything.
Live in us, breath in us.
Teach us how to wear love,
share love, and live in love.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Q4U: How do you wear love and cultivate thankfulness?

Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you continue to live your life in love!

Photo courtesy of Chad Runge

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