Be Thankful

Colossians 3:15

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. 

Paul’s letter to the Colossians continues the theme of most of his letters: Christ is Lord of all, and we are to accept and love one another in faithfulness to Him. 

Imagine this headline on a papyrus scroll in 60 A.D., when scholars believe this letter was written either by Paul or a close disciple of his:

Number of Followers of Christ Continues to Increase in Colossae.

Observers Confused About Conflict Within Group.

It was true then and remains true today that different leaders have varying ideas of right and wrong practices within Christianity. In verses prior to this one, Paul (or his disciple) talks about several “wrong teachings” to which the people of Colossae have been exposed, such as adhering to food laws, practicing mysticism, and worshipping angels. Again and again, he emphasizes that Christ is the one, true head of the church. It is a struggle for new believers to remain focused on Jesus as both their savior and unifier through his teachings. 

In our current times, we continue to be assailed by false teaching by self-appointed givers of wisdom touting practices that do not strengthen us in our spiritual journey. In fact, it is my belief that these threats are more overt than ever, largely due to the 24-hour news cycle and the availability of the media to anyone who wants to talk, whether they have any credibility or not. Think televangelists and those who admonish us that our salvation is not assured unless we specifically do this or that. Even worse, some of these pundits set us against one another, completely ignoring the truth that we are one in Christ. Paul says Do not be misled! The peace of Christ in our hearts is a gift to us, and for that gift, we are to be thankful. 

The practice of gratitude is one way to maintain the peace of Christ in our hearts.  Recognizing that God is the giver of all good things and thanking him specifically for the good things in our lives recognizes God’s sovereignty and our dependence on Him.  Gratitude replaces anger, fear, jealousy, and other negative feelings and takes our focus away from ourselves. Someone recently said to me, “When I stand on the shore and view the vastness of the ocean, I realize just how small I am in the universe. And even though I  am that small, I know God loves me and walks with me. My daily worries are diminished, and I remember that all will be well.”

Remember today to let the peace of Christ rule in your heart no matter your circumstances, and be thankful for God’s love and all his gifts to you. 

Let us pray:

Father, life can overwhelm us at times, and we forget that your love is constant,  no matter the circumstances. Help us turn away from the things that distract us from You,  and help us focus on all the good gifts You have given us. Thank you, God, for loving us and for teaching us that to love one another is the greatest way to honor You. Amen.

Today’s devotional was written and read by Pat Scruggs.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. 

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org. 

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.