30-Day Personal Devotion Challenge Day 19

Good Morning Church Family – Day 19

Read Colossians 3:12-15

Devo Thought: I want to talk about centerpieces. A centerpiece is traditionally the decoration found at the center of a table where a dinner party is happening. Centerpieces have been around since Roman times. In times past, the centerpiece was used to celebrate nature or reflect a season. They have been used to be evidence of one’s wealth or standing. They can express a theme important to the party or the people being honored at the party. At my in-laws last anniversary party, my wife and I decorated the center of the table with golden 50s to express the value of 50 years of faithful marriage. In this rich passage, Paul puts something right at the center of the passage, for which all of the other qualities in the passage are necessary. The thing he places at the center requires all of the other qualities he mentions and is an expression of those qualities. Paul places forgiveness right in the center of the passage. Forgiveness requires and is at the same time an expression of a compassionate heart, of kindness, of humility, of gentleness, of patience. Love leads us to forgiveness and brings us together. Forgiveness is an expression of peace ruling in our hearts and a deep sense of gratitude because we realize that we too have been forgiven. This is why forgiveness is mentioned so often in Scripture as evidence of a transformed life. Apart from the work of the Holy Spirit (the same Spirit who leads us to compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, peace, and love), apart from this Spirit, we cannot forgive. That’s why Paul puts forgiveness right at the center. It is central to a life that’s been changed by the Spirit of God.

Prayer – Let us take time today to forgive those who have sinned against us and to seek forgiveness from those we have sinned against.