Today’s Encouragement is Colossians 3:12 NLT Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
God Chose You –
He chose you – my friend, to be one of the Holy People, an adopted family member… that He Loves! Let that sink in for a moment.
He didn’t have to, but He Chose! His call, not ours. We simply said ’Yes, Lord.’
Notice the two way-relationship He has given us – “Since God chose us, we now must…“ (this is repeated throughout scripture)
Because He has chosen us, it is now our responsibility, perhaps more accurately, it is our privilege, as His chosen people… to live this life that we’ve been given (His gift to us!) according to His ways, His wisdom, not according to our own human thoughts, nor human desires… but according to the perfect Wisdom of God Himself.
We choose… how we will live…
Will it be just like all the others, doing whatever they want without regard for consequences? Or – will we put on Christ, the characteristics of Jesus, which are “tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”
We do this not in falsehood or pretending, but in humble acceptance of His Rule, His Lordship in our lives.
Is it possible my friends, that…
When we daily ‘put on’ Jesus as our clothing, protecting and warming us from life, always covered in Him… Then the desires of our flesh will be weakened…
And the desires of His Spirit within us will become stronger… ?
Father God, please help us, your dearly loved, but weak and wandering sheep, to put on Christ as our clothing, protection, even as our very identity. And so, to walk in Your ways. Because we also, by His shed blood, are members of Your family.
Clothed in Christ
Genevieve Falleur
Today’s Encouragement 