Day 29: Overflowing Gratitude!
6And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to him. Colossians 2:6
As we consider what it means to live with “overflowing gratitude” in our lives this week, the Apostle Paul reminds us that the foundation of our gratitude is living in obedience to Jesus Christ as our Lord. Lordship is a concept that doesn’t fly well in our world today. As American citizens our focus is on freedom. Yet, only when we have submitted ourselves to the lordship of Jesus are we truly free! The freedoms to speak our minds, to own and bear arms, to vote, to determine what kind of lifestyle we will live, are all “freedoms” we have come to expect as Americans. Sometimes these “freedoms” can actually enslave us. That’s because as we exercise them we miss out on living in the name of Jesus, in the power of His Spirit and within the boundaries He has established for us. So many times when we see lists of “do’s” and “don’t’s” as we saw in last week’s Scripture from Ephesians 5, we don’t see that their purpose is to set boundaries that will keep us safe not only from physical and emotional harm, but also from spiritual harm as well.
When we have settled the matter in our hearts and minds that Jesus IS Lord in our lives, and by the power of the Holy Spirit seek to live in obedience to Him, the result is transformed living that DOES result in overflowing gratitude. Obedience is the key! So if gratitude isn’t flowing from your life right now, pause and reflect on what areas in your life are not submitted to the Lordship of Jesus. If gratitude IS flowing, then praise God for empowering you to live faithfully by His grace and power!
Questions and Comments for Reflection and Action:
What do you need to do right now to live a life of obedience to Jesus?
Take some time right now to thank God for sending Jesus as our Savior and Lord.