Pray:
Ask God to orient or reorient you to Himself. Confess any known sin. Thank Him for His forgiveness. Be still and reflect on Jesus and His sacrifice for you. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart and mind to God’s Word. Pray for others in your life that they, too, would know and love God today.
Read:
Colossians 3:17,
“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”
Understand:
I love this verse! It’s like an all-inclusive rule to judge our conduct. What do I mean? Take what we’ve been talking about all week, living with gratitude. How’s your conduct? What’s coming out of your mouth as you head to thanksgiving dinner, as you stand in line at the mall, as you interact with folks or family members who rub you the wrong way? Are you representing Christ well? Does your conduct show gratitude and thankfulness for all Christ has done?
Oh, how different our lives would be if we could make this verse an automatic response in our lives. I’m reminded about Terry challenging us to count the number of negative and positive words that come out of our mouth. As Jesus’s representative, we should not be folks who are known for our griping. Instead, we should be known for our love of God and people.
Think about the impact of this command—how it honors, exalts, and elevates all of life. This is another reason we can give thanks to God the Father through Christ. Yes, we should be people known for our gratitude. Gratitude should flow out consistently — Thanks! Thanks! Thanks! — like a slow steady drip. It’s a perpetual duty for those saved by grace and destined for the courts of heaven.
Apply:
As you go, how will you represent the Lord Jesus?
*From what you have just read and considered: What is a personal implication/application for your life today?
Live:
(Personalize this prayer today; make it specific to the circumstances that face you.)
Ask God to lead you through His Spirit as you go through your day. Ask Him to bring to mind the truth of the Gospel and its implications for what you will encounter today. Tell Him “Yes” to His will and ask Him for His power and protection to live this “yes.” Ask God to create and reveal opportunities to proclaim the good news today. KEEP PRAYING THROUGHOUT YOUR DAY