Gibb's Slap

Daily Reading: Colossians 3

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. (Colossians 3.12-14)

Devotional Thought: Anytime I start feeling too good about myself (No one is good, except God alone, Luke 18.19.), I only need to read passages like Colossians 3 to get a quick Gibb’s Slap on the back of my head or a V8 knock on the forehead.  I mean, wow, I could have had a dose of the fruit of the Spirit instead of a knock on the head! 

Verse 5 gives a short list of sins to avoid - outrageous sin we often think, and perhaps we have worked hard to not fall into them.  Then we get hit in verse 8.  Perhaps that strikes a little closer to home.  Have you ever been angry?  Have you ever said anything bad about someone else?  Have you ever lied to anyone?  Ever?  (Are you lying to yourself now?)

But we are not just left with a list of "don’ts," we are also given a list of "dos."  Colossians 3.12-14 is our real slap on the head.  We should be practicing compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  We should be forgiving.  And most of all, over all, we should be loving.  Love binds all these virtues together.

Soon it will be Valentine’s Day.  We (or at least the greeting card companies and some of us romantics) have declared that as a day of ardent love.  If we forget that day, we might get a good Gibb's Slap from our sweethearts.  It would be wise to avoid that!  Even wiser would be to "put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony" (Colossians 3.14).

John Wade

Prayer: Thank you, O God, Lord of Life and Love, for these occasional reminders that I am to clothe myself in love.  Help me to "walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Ephesians 5.2).  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 17.6-12

6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words.

7 Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand.

8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,

9 from the wicked who do me violence, my deadly enemies who surround me.

10 They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly.

11 They have now surrounded our steps; they set their eyes to cast us to the ground.

12 He is like a lion eager to tear, as a young lion lurking in ambush.