Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Monday after the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday

Posted on October 11, 2021 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: Colossians 3:1-10 (NKJV)
 
3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
 
5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
 
8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.
 
Devotion
 
Today’s Scripture reading instructs the Christian on many things the Christian is supposed to do: “Set your mind…,” “put to death…,” “put off all these…,” “do not lie…,” “put on…” You find yourself with so much to do that you may feel overwhelmed and ask, “How? How am I supposed to do all this?”
 
Every day we are faced with “fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” Every day we have to come to grips with our own “anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, [and] filthy language.” Every day we find that we “lie to one another.” So how are we supposed to stop doing all this?
 
Even though we are Christians, we never stop sinning. “How am I going to stop?” The change that God desires for you comes not by you changing your life, but by Him placing you into Christ. There your sins are hidden from His sight, and all He can see in you is Christ’s perfection. While you cannot stop being who you are because of your sinful nature, your comfort is found in knowing that “it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). When you trust in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, you have “set your mind on things above” and “put to death your members which are on the earth.”
 
Prayer: O Almighty and most Merciful God, of Thy bountiful goodness keep us, we beseech Thee, from all things that may hurt us; that we, being ready, both in body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish those things that Thou wouldest have done; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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