Daily Reading: Colossians 1
Scripture Focus: Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. (Colossians 1.10)
Devotional Thought: Have you heard the expression "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"?
My brother and I had a favorite uncle when we were kids. We used to spend the weekends with him. I remember one occasion when my brother and I were at his house that we made some "prank" phone calls. Just kid stuff. Well, we got caught. The people we had pranked called my uncle, but he told them, “My nephews would never do that.” When confronted and we ’fessed up, he said something that was the worst of all punishments: “I guess I’m going to have to call them and tell them I was wrong about you.” We had disappointed him! That broke my little boy heart! I didn’t want him to be wrong about me! I wanted him to be proud of me! When the incident was over, and apologies made, my uncle went right back to being proud of us!
God is proud of us, too. We are his children. We would never want to disappoint him, would we? It would break our hearts! Sometimes we do, however, and it is good to know that when we go to him and sincerely repent, he will forgive us. He will be proud of us. That's way more than a pound of cure!
What is even better, however, is to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.” How do we do that? By “bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks…” (Colossians 1.11-12) That is way more than an ounce of prevention.
Prayer: Lord, thank you that you love me so much! Help me to love you in return and to walk in a manner worthy of your great love. And when I falter, forgive me and help me to trust your mercy and receive your grace. Amen.
Psalm of the Day: 1 O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? 2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; 3 who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend; 4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the Lord; who swears to his own hurt and does not change; 5 who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved. (Psalm 15.1-5)
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