Series: The Word
Colossians 3:14 ESV
Colossians 3:14 CEV
Romans 8:28 ESV
The 1960’s were a bit tumultuous where I lived.
There were riots.
While the rioting did not occur on the suburban street where I lived, there was significant unrest and violence in the downtown areas in many parts of the United States.
Interestingly enough, about the same time I remember many peaceful protests that occurred. The saying, “Make love not War” was often heard.
I don’t think that was an accident.
Colossians 3:14 tells us, “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
In the CEV that same scripture says, “Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.”
When we think about putting a “thing” on we often use that phrase in terms of clothing or shoes. When we get up we choose what we will wear for the day. We also choose what shoes we will wear.
Some people don’t make a deal about what they wear, and that’s okay. I love certain colors and color coding so I choose my outfits based on what color I want to wear that day.
I’ve done that for years and so even though I am retired, I still choose my clothes carefully. I do that because I like doing that. I do not do it to impress anyone. Quite frankly, I don’t care what other people think about what I’m wearing. I just choose what I want to wear.
I kind of think love is the same way.
Everyday when I get up I choose to be happy.
I look for the good.
I capitalize on what is good around me,
Now…I’m not saying my life is all sunshine and roses. My life is just like everyone else’s life…there’s good and bad.
However, I really believe what the Apostle Paul wrote about in Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
I have practiced that as a spiritual discipline for years. I sincerely believe that God is the God and God can take the most difficult circumstance imaginable and bring good from it.
Allow me to elaborate.
Ten years ago this week I received a frantic telephone call from my youngest son. He had a desperate request for me to pray and for me to “come” quickly. They were expecting twins and the twins decided to make a very very early entrance into the world. The twins were born extremely early. They both weighed under two pounds.
On day five after their arrival into this world the oldest twin had two significant brain bleeds. He was not expected to live. I still remember my son saying, “Oh, Mom you gotta come.”
It was late afternoon when I received the phone call. I was living 12 hours away by car and I knew getting a plane ticket would probably take time. However, I also knew getting a ticket on Amtrak was always possible. I told him I’d be there by morning.
I called my daughter who lived in the same town where I lived. As it turned out they decided to go and five of us piled into their car and they drove all night.
All four of my kids and their spouses came.
I remember the horrific meeting with the doctors advising how to proceed.
I also remember the faith my son and his wife exhibited.
My grandson did survive. Day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year.
He has Cerebral Palsy and while he struggles, he is a fighter.
I wish I could say it has been an easy road for them but I can’t. What I can say is that they still believe that God will care for him.
God causes all things to work together for good.
I can also say while I love all eight of my grandchildren, this miracle boy has a smile that will brighten any day no matter how awful it has been.
God gave him a sweet sweet spirit that outshines the sun.
He may get discouraged, but I haven’t seen or heard him complain about his struggles once.
When I think of him in light of Colossians 3:14, I can see that he “puts on love”.
He chooses love.
He fights for it.
He believes in it.
The literal definite article that proceeds the word love in the Greek has been translated to “put on the” love.
Choose love. Get up every morning and just like you choose your clothes and shoes, choose love. Put it on.
I think that’s what my grandson does. His body doesn’t always cooperate, he hurts. He struggles. But he keeps on smiling. He keeps on loving. He keeps on going.
God brought a very good thing to us (to me) from my grandson.
He chooses love.
Spiritual Practice: Put on Love
Every morning when you get up, put on love.
In God, Deborah
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