Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Christ Lord and God to us
Colossians 3:1-11
Christine Thomas
St. John’s MTC, NY
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."
We live in a world where we face trials, temptations, and tribulations on a daily basis. At times, these obstacles don’t even feel as though they are overbearing because they are habits we have picked up from a young age, it is part of our daily routine, it has become part of our lifestyle. Christians as well as Non-Christians face the same obstacles but the only difference is that as followers of Christ, we have been given specific instructions to live a holy life.
Since Christ died for us, our former selves have died. In other words, Christ died so that the sins we have committed could be erased. Through His resurrection we have been reborn. His resurrection means that as children of God we have to have a whole new outlook on life. Our behaviors, actions, and mentality have to reflect Christ. At times this may be difficult. We can never be like Christ but when others see us, they have to see Christ in us. As children of God, our motto in life should be WWJD (What would Jesus Do). Being Christ like and living a holy life is by no means easy, which is why we need to turn to God to give us the strength and the guidance to let go of the earthly things and focus on Him. What is even more comforting is knowing that Christ Himself faced the same temptations as us when He was here on earth. When we face various trials, it is the perfect opportunity for us to turn to Him to give us the strength to keep moving forward. We should strive to live a holy life knowing that it pleases our Heavenly Father. We can find comfort in knowing that when He returns, we will be called to join Him.
Romans 6:2 says, “By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” When we fully acknowledge our sins, we ought to repent because Christ bore our sins on the Cross. Being alive in Christ means being transformed completely and viewing life and conducting ourselves in a manner which is pleasing to our Father in Heaven. At times the road will not be easy to travel on, but we can find comfort in knowing that we have Jesus to guide us towards the right path.
PRAYER
Dear Lord, we thank You for bearing our sins on the cross. Enable us to be better individuals in our day to day life. We pray that we are able to live a holy life and in everything that we do, we pray that others are able to see You through our words and actions. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
“Teach me to treat all that comes to me with peace of soul and with firm conviction that You will govern all. Amen” ~ Elisabeth Elliot