"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Colossians 3:17 (NRSV)
Prodigal Thoughts: The apostle Paul has spent the previous 16 verses explaining what "New Life" means, what we are called to, and that there are no divisions or favorites in the eyes of God, the Father. This verse (verse 17) is the exclamation point on the apostle Paul’s message to the church at Corinth regarding having a new life in Christ. Almost to say, at the very least, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus with thanksgiving to God. So, why do Christians across our nation make this out to be such a difficult thing to do? Not that anyone is saying it is difficult, but it is pretty rare to see someone living in this manner today. One reason that is evident to me is that if we are doing everything in the name of Jesus, then that means that we should be living in a self-sacrificing type of humility. Christians and non-Christians alike live their lives how THEY want to live it and to gain the things the world holds dear. Putting others first is not a very "American" thing to do. So, living our lives for the purpose of God rather than the purpose of worldly gain/fame/etc seem to be opposite of each other. We are only here on this spinning ball of dirt for a certain amount of days/years, but the glory and fame of God is without time limits. Time started with God and He will continue to reign forever. Are you living your life to build up things that will break or fade away over time? Are you working to leave a legacy that will end when you take your last breaths or are you living for a greater purpose and greater legacy? Instead of trying to make our nation great again, perhaps we should live in a manner that will glorify the name of our Creator.
Prayer for today: I pray that we would come to realize the importance of the kingdom of God. That we would live our lives in a manner that is worthy of being called a Christian. I pray that instead of trying to pile up things that the world views as priceless, that we would daily live in ways that bring glory and value to the kingdom of God. That our heavenly Father would guide us in how we should live and love all of His children, whether they call on His name or not.
Need prayer? I send out weekly prayer needs emails, so if you have a prayer need, you can reply here or you can send me a facebook message through the Prodigal Thinker page. If this encourages you, feel free to share it. Feel free to reply with feedback as well. I’m always open to discussion.
God’s grace on you…
Prodigal Mike~
Photo credit: Lalesh Alderwish
Prodigal Thinker 