Liturgy for Life : WK 5 - MON
Gratitude
Colossians 3:15-17 (NIV)
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let 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. And 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.
This passage is one of my favorites in the entire Scripture. Actually, I like to take it all in from verse 1 through 17. I want to nudge you to take some time today to read everything leading up to our verses for today, as it informs these three verses we are marinating in. I like to refer to these three verses as the triptych of gratitude and thankfulness. A triptych is a piece of art composed of three separate pieces. They were first depicted in churches during the Middle Ages and were often painted on wooden panels. These triptychs related various Bible stories to encourage and invite people to engage with God in prayer. I invite you to engage with the passage for today as you would with a work of art, painted and expressed across three panels, much like a triptych.
Notice the first ‘panel.’ Linger over the verse like you would a painting at a museum in an unhurried way, with perfect lighting and nothing else around the painting to distract except the second panel next to it. How is the peace of Christ ruling in your heart, and the body of Christ called to peace being expressed in your imagination? How are you feeling thankful?
Notice now the second ‘panel.’ While still in the museum setting, linger in front of this panel, located at the center of the triptych. What are you noticing about the message of Christ dwelling among the body of Christ richly in how it is expressed in verse 16? How does this bring about gratitude in your heart and the hearts of Christ’s people?
Now shift to the third panel, verse 17, and linger just a little longer, and take in what you see with your mind and heart’s eye. What is it looking like to do and be in the name of your Lord Jesus, and giving thanks to God the Father through Him?
The words used for 'thankful' and 'thanks' in verses 15 & 17 are the Greek word εὐχάριστος, which is where we get the word 'eucharist', another term for The Lord’s Supper, commonly referred to as communion. This is the meal that Jesus instituted on the night He was betrayed and called all His disciples to share together in remembrance of Him. So, the very meal Jesus calls us, as His disciples, to center our fellowship and life around is a table of thanksgiving. The word for "gratitude" is the same word for "grace" in the Greek New Testament. When we recognize that all God has graciously given us through Jesus Christ for our life and salvation, gratitude is the natural attitude of the heart.
Colossians 3:15-17 (NIV)
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let 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. And 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.
This passage is one of my favorites in the entire Scripture. Actually, I like to take it all in from verse 1 through 17. I want to nudge you to take some time today to read everything leading up to our verses for today, as it informs these three verses we are marinating in. I like to refer to these three verses as the triptych of gratitude and thankfulness. A triptych is a piece of art composed of three separate pieces. They were first depicted in churches during the Middle Ages and were often painted on wooden panels. These triptychs related various Bible stories to encourage and invite people to engage with God in prayer. I invite you to engage with the passage for today as you would with a work of art, painted and expressed across three panels, much like a triptych.
Notice the first ‘panel.’ Linger over the verse like you would a painting at a museum in an unhurried way, with perfect lighting and nothing else around the painting to distract except the second panel next to it. How is the peace of Christ ruling in your heart, and the body of Christ called to peace being expressed in your imagination? How are you feeling thankful?
Notice now the second ‘panel.’ While still in the museum setting, linger in front of this panel, located at the center of the triptych. What are you noticing about the message of Christ dwelling among the body of Christ richly in how it is expressed in verse 16? How does this bring about gratitude in your heart and the hearts of Christ’s people?
Now shift to the third panel, verse 17, and linger just a little longer, and take in what you see with your mind and heart’s eye. What is it looking like to do and be in the name of your Lord Jesus, and giving thanks to God the Father through Him?
The words used for 'thankful' and 'thanks' in verses 15 & 17 are the Greek word εὐχάριστος, which is where we get the word 'eucharist', another term for The Lord’s Supper, commonly referred to as communion. This is the meal that Jesus instituted on the night He was betrayed and called all His disciples to share together in remembrance of Him. So, the very meal Jesus calls us, as His disciples, to center our fellowship and life around is a table of thanksgiving. The word for "gratitude" is the same word for "grace" in the Greek New Testament. When we recognize that all God has graciously given us through Jesus Christ for our life and salvation, gratitude is the natural attitude of the heart.
- What are the things you noticed most when you stood in front of the triptych?
- Is there anything Jesus is inviting you to bask in regarding His grace, unconditional love, and favor towards you? Pause for at least 1-2 minutes to engage in this spiritual practice.
- Are there people in your life you can think of that you have experienced God’s lavish grace towards you through? Take a minute to contemplate this, and if so, send them a text, note, or tell them, and share with them how they have been an agent of God’s grace and love toward you
No Comments