Tuesday, June 11 | Colossians 3:12-17 | Amy Jackson
I think almost all girls loved to play dress-up at some point when they were young. The best part about playing dress-up is that you could wear anything - there were no rules! Matching was thrown out the window - and really, the more clothing, the better! I have a picture in my head of a little girl wearing a princess dress, a tutu, a hat, a beaded necklace, play high-heel shoes, and carrying a cute clutch.
Paul’s description of what we ought to “put on” in Colossians 3:12-17 reminds me a bit of dress-up. Just as we are killing sin and putting off former vices (see Colossians 3:5-10), we are also called to “put on” some additional items of clothing because we are “God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved” (Colossians 3:12). The list is pretty expansive, and I can honestly say that there are moments I struggle with “putting on” just one of these items, let alone all of them! It’s important to remember that we can’t do this on our own strength. Look at Colossians 3:14. Paul tells us that, above all, we should put on love. In ancient times, people wore a number of flowy garments (you can attest to this if you’ve ever been a shepherd or wise man in the Living Nativity!). These garments could only all stay on if a belt was included in the ensemble! Paul is basically saying that, if we don’t have love, all of these other things don’t really matter - and ultimately, all of these others “articles of clothing” come from love! It reminds me a bit of 1 Corinthians 13, where Paul reminds the Corinthian believers that, even if they can speak in tongues and give everything to the poor, if they do not have love, they have nothing.
I’ve been reading J.I. Packer’s Knowing God over these last few months. In his chapter on love, Packer argues that, often when Paul talks about our love for God, he’s talking less about our own love and more about our knowledge of God’s love and how that moves and motivates us to love. In other words, when I really “get” how much God loves me - despite my sin and brokenness - and really understand what He has done for me in Christ, that moves my heart to worship and love. This is the kind of love that Paul is talking about. Everything is changed because of the cross - including how and why we forgive one another (see Colossians 3:13).
Today, reflect on God’s love for you in Christ - that you are at peace with God because of the cross (Romans 5, Colossians 3:15). Spend time in Scripture and sing a worship song or hymn to remind you of this love (Colossians 3:16). Pray that the knowledge of how God loves you would impact how you love others - that “in whatever you do, in word or deed, you would do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17).
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