Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 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. –Colossians 3:1-17 NIV
Before the crucifixion, as Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, the disciple and physician Luke wrote, “And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” (Luke 22:44 NIV).Like the grapes of wine, Jesus was crushed and pressed for our sins. He made us new by His blood. Matthew 9:17 (NIV) says, “Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” You are the vessel into which He and your Father in Heaven long to fill up with Their love. As you offer yourself to Him as a child of God, walk in the cleansing blood of your Savior. By letting go of the past and stepping out of your earthly nature, you are walking into the newness of life eternal.You are God’s chosen vessel. He picked you for the exact moment that you are in right now. If it is difficult, it’s not because He wants you to suffer—He knows that you through His guidance will emerge from the storm blessed by His mercy and grace. If you are in a place of abundance, shout out His praise. If you are in the midst of a storm, shout it out in testimony even louder so those around you will be blessed by the deliverance of His promise for you.As you would with any member of your family, walk in His love and compassion for others. As a father loves his children, forgive and love others as well as yourself as your Abba Father has forgiven you. In doing these things, you make yourself a vessel to be filled by His glory and an offering to His love. As that vessel, you will by nature create a family of God. People will want to know what it is you have that they do not. As your Father loves you, He will love those who gather around you as family.Second Corinthians 6:18 (NIV) says, “And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”So today in your walk, ask your heavenly Father to make you a vessel and an offering of His love to others, your family in Christ.
Pray that God helps you love your family as He has loved you.
Be filled with compassion and love as you handle every family encounter today.