24 Aug September 10 Daily Devotional

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S LETTER TO THE COLOSSIANS

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO IT IN THE NAME OF JESUS, TO GOD’S GLORY

Colossians 3:17 “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.”

“Whatever” you do, no matter what you do, there are no restrictions, use all of your thoughts, words, and activities as a true believer in Jesus to give glory and thanks to God.  You may think you have to do something spectacular and unbelievable to give glory and thanks to Him.  You don’t!  Singing Jesus loves me to a baby as you rock it, feed it, and put it to sleep meets the criteria of today’s devotional verse.

On Judgment Day, as you stand before Jesus, “He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.” (Matthew 25:33):

“Then the King (Jeus) will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me.’” (Matthew 25:34-40)

Reviewing what you have read here in Colossians through these first three chapters, only those who died with Christ through their baptism and then have been raised with Him by the power of the Holy Spirit set their hearts, thoughts, form their words, and plan out their deeds to His honor and glory.  Only when you “put off your old sinful life” and “put on the new life of righteousness” by God’s grace through faith in Jesus are you included in His words in Matthew 25.  In and through Jesus Christ you live the kind of life that Adam and Eve lived in the garden prior to eating the forbidden fruit.  You are God’s chosen, holy and greatly loved child.

Prayer:  To You, O God, be honor and glory forever and ever.  Amen.

We praise  You, O God, our Redeemer, Creator;

In grateful devotion our tribute we bring.

We lay it before You, we kneel and adore You;

We bless Your holy name, glad praises we sing.

WE worship You, God of our fathers, we bless You;

Through trial and tempest our guide You have been.

When perils o’er-take us, You will not forsake us,

And with Your help, O Lord, our struggles we win.

With voices united our praises we offer

And gladly our songs of thanksgiving we raise.

With You, Lord, beside us, Your strong arm will guide us.

To You, our great Redeemer, forever be praise!

(LSB 785)