From a healthy, "relatively young" woman, this may sound like a crazy question but this is where my thoughts have roamed this morning. As I was reading God's words through the apostle Paul in Colossians 3, I found myself writing in the margins of my Bible "make me into that, LORD."
The passage reads, "Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other. With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. Whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks to God the Father because of Him." vs. 16-17
A wife must put her husband first... vs. 18
Parents don't be hard on your children... vs. 21
Slaves (employees)... Do your work willingly as though you were serving the Lord Himself... vs. 22-23
In so many ways, I fall short of this but THIS is who I really want to be. I recently participated in a funeral service which, despite the grief of losing a friend, tickled me that her true character was celebrated. I believe she would have been pleased. Then I thought I wonder what people will say about me... My heart desires that they would express the words in the verses above.
Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives... I'm struck how it says our "lives" and not our "heads". If I only learn the message of Christ in my head but never let it filter out into my life, I'm a hypocrite. I spent the first half or more of my life that way. What I said with my mouth didn't show itself in my actions. My life may be the only Bible someone reads. I want to declare it with integrity.
While you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other... Immediately, I recognize that my wisdom is not nearly enough to teach and instruct my children or others that the LORD has placed across my path. That being the case, I need to be really digging into God's Word for His wisdom to live by and then I'll have something of worth to teach and instruct another.
With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God... The friend of mine that just passed away had a real attitude of contentment in all things. I want to have a thankful heart. I want it to show itself as I sing.
Whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus... Well, this covers an enormous number of things! I think I can understand it best by "if Jesus were here... would I say this? Would I do that?"
As you give thanks to God the Father because of Him... In all that I say and in all that I do, I want to have an attitude of gratitude!
A wife must put her husband first... I want my husband and those around us to know that I really love him. Love is not just an emotion. It shows itself in our choices and actions. I want it to be evident that after the LORD, he is my number one!
Parents don't be hard on your children... I love my children - more than I ever knew possible! But raising children is hard work - much harder than I ever knew possible! I want to be full of love and affection, consistent in discipline, but never hard on them which the Bible says can cause them to give up.
Slaves (employees)... Do your work willingly as though you were serving the Lord Himself... It even adds working hard to do the job my employer desires even when they are not watching. God is watching. And you know, it also says that God rewards.
What about you? How do you want people to celebrate you? Are you that person today or are there some things that you'd like to change in order that you would be remembered differently. We'll never become something different in the future without taking steps today. I don't know how many years, months, weeks or days I have left to leave a mark upon this earth. I hope it's lots! But one thing is for sure, if I want things like this to be the hallmarks of my legacy, I need to start letting God do some work in me today. And if I let Him, I know He will!
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