Happy December 1st, everyone! It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here, and everywhere – and I love it! We’ve put up our tree, a few gifts are wrapped, and the house smells like cinnamon spice. Thanks to the encouragement from Frappuccino Fun with Amy, and many of your blogs, I feel more “ahead of schedule” and prepared for this Christmas season than I’ve been in years.
Each day I’m intentionally doing little things to physically prepare our home and family to celebrate Christmas. But what struck me this weekend is that I also need to be as intentional in preparing my heart as I am in preparing my home.
I know that when days are filled, time is short, and my to-do list is long, my patience runs thin and I tend to take it out on those I love the most. I hate that I do that… but it’s the truth. That’s why I’m going to cling to the Lord through Colossians 3:12-17 this month. It’s especially convicting and challenging in the Amplified Version. I pray to absorb these truths so deep into my mind and heart that they affefct my every reaction. I may fail from time to time, but at least that’s my goal.
If you struggle with the same thing, will you join me in hiding this passage in your heart this month? (I know… the Amplified Version is long and wordy – maybe another version will work better for you. You can go to www.biblegateway.com to find this passage in all kinds of versions. ) If you decide to join me in this challenge, please let me know, and let’s pray for each other!
May the Lord bless you as you intentionally turn your eyes upon His Word and prepare your heart (as well as your home) for Christmas.
Colossians 3:12-17 (Amplified)
12) Clothe yourselves therefore, as God’s own chosen ones (His own picked representatives), [who are] purified and holy and well-beloved [by God Himself, by putting on behavior marked by] tenderhearted pity and mercy, kind feeling, a lowly opinion of yourselves, gentle ways, [and] patience [which is tireless and long-suffering, and has the power to endure whatever comes, with good temper].
13) Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive].
14) And above all these [put on] love and enfold yourselves with the bond of perfectness [which binds everything together completely in ideal harmony].
15) And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].
16) Let the word [spoken by] Christ (the Messiah) have its home [in your hearts and minds] and dwell in you in [all its] richness, as you teach and admonish and train one another in all insight and intelligence and wisdom [in spiritual things, and as you sing] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to God with [His] grace in your hearts.
17) And whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him.