14 day plan

Fullness of Life

Day 5 of 14

NIV

Colossians 3:12-14

12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Reflection:  Clothe yourself. Clothe yourself with compassion, kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Sounds like a fully immersive approach. Couldn’t I just carry kindness and humility around as a handy accessory ready to whip it out at the appropriate occasion?

Bear with each other. Sounds like an effort. Couldn’t other people just bear with me?

Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Sounds hard. Did you have to set the bar so high? Couldn’t I just forgive insignificant misdemeanours and continue to harbour resentment for the big grievances?

Put on love. Sounds like an ensemble. Wrap this all together with love.

I’m so glad that as I look in the mirror at my attempts to clothe myself, I see you Lord, and your perfect love and forgiveness, and I can ask you to clothe me with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, I can ask you to give me the willingness to forgive, I can ask you teach me to love.

For I am chosen, holy and dearly loved… and so are my neighbours.

God knows us, and loves us.

Let’s know each other, let’s live in the fullness of life that God intends.

Prayer:  Thank you, Father, for choosing us, for loving us and for showing us how to live with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience towards each other.

The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.

Days

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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

Colossians 3:1-25

Living as Those Made Alive in Christ

1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Instructions for Christian Households

18Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

19Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

20Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

21Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.

The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.