September 4 Daily Devotional

24 Aug September 4 Daily Devotional

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

PUT UP WITH ONE ANOTHER

Colossians 3:13 “Bear with each other . . .”

First, a bit of grammar. . . “Bear” is a present participle.  This means that this action (bearing) is to be ongoing in your Christian life.  Second, you would not likely say, “bear up with.”  You would say, “put up with.”  The Cambridge Dictionary says this means to “continue to accept an unpleasant situation or experience or someone who behaves unpleasantly.”

To put up with is not easy to do.  It requires a great amount of love and much patience.  That is exactly the context of verse 13. To put up with flows out of the list of virtues found in the previous verse which flow out of the first verse of this chapter where it says you “are raised with Christ” and “setting your heart on Him.” (verse 1)   I don’t know about you, but I know for myself, putting up with the irritating behavior of someone is not natural.  Only when I think about what Jesus has to put up with in regard to me and my life am I humbled to remember the words found in the devotion a couple of days ago, “I (we) love because He first loved us (me).”  (John 13:34-35) 

Allegedly, Native Americans said in order to understand another person “you need to walk in their moccasins.”  This means you need to visualize yourself in the same position or predicament as  that person in order to understand what they are going through or dealing with.  Perhaps St. Paul’s description of what “love is” is even more helpful:  “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

No greater example of love exists than that of Jesus for you and all the world. “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing . . . “ (Philippians 2:6-7)  Jesus did more than “put up with your sins.”  He took them away from you, made them His own and gave you in turn His sinlessness.

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, fill me with faith in Jesus from which to live a life of love for all people.  In His name.  Amen.

Love divine, all loves excelling, Joy of heav’n; to earth come down!

Fix in us Thy humble dwelling, All Thy faithful mercies crown.

Jesus, Thou art all compassion, Pure, unbounded love Thou art;

Visit us with thy salvation, Enter ev’ry trembling heart.

Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit Into ev’ry troubled breast;

Let us all in Thee inherit; Let us find Thy promised rest.

Take away the love of sinning; Alpha and Omega be;

End of faith, as its beginning, Set our hearts at liberty.

Come, Almighty, to deliver; Let us all Thy life receive;

Suddenly return, and never, Nevermore Thy temples leave.

Thee we would be always blessing, Serve Thee as Thy hosts above,

Pray and praise Thee without ceasing, Glory in Thy perfect love.

Finish then Thy new c4eation, Pure and spotless let us be;

Let us see Thy great salvation Perfectly restored in Thee.

Changed from glory into glory, Till in heav’n we take our place,

Till we cast our crowns before Thee, Lost at wonder, love, and praise!

(LSB 700)