Daily Devotional

The end of the American Civil War arrived in 1865.  The United States was finally at peace after four brutal years of conflict.  The end of the war brought peace on the battlefield, but the terrible loss experienced during the war was felt in every community in the United States. By the war’s end, over 600,000 men had lost their lives in the line of duty.

Not long after the end of the war, Henry Welles, a druggist in Waterloo, New York, approached several members of the community, including General John B. Murray, with the hope of finding a way to not only praise the living who had fought in the war, but to honor those who had given their lives in service to the cause. It was in May of 1866 that the first Memorial Day, known then as Decoration Day, was celebrated…

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” – Colossians 4:2

The Apostle Paul concludes his letter to the Colossians with a brief but significant request. He could have asked the young Christians to do many things. Paul asks that they “Devote” themselves to prayer.

This request from Paul reflects his personal dependence on God. As we read through Paul’s writings, we see that he has grown in his faith to the point that he has a deep dependence on God. Even as Paul writes from prison, we see that the hardship he has endured has only served to teach him that prayer is a great gift to the people of faith. Prayer allows us the privilege to go before God and to connect with the One who gives “every good and perfect gift from above.” (James 1:17)

Paul would write about his dependence on God and prayer in his letter to the Philippians…

“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.” – Colossians 3:12-14

I live in an active household. I have three daughters who are part of many extracurricular activities. On any given night, we might have practice in the theatre, dance practice, or a softball game. Our schedule stays busy. One of the challenges to all these hobbies is keeping all the uniforms, shoes, helmets, costumes, and bags together. We spend a significant amount of time keeping everyone dressed in the proper uniforms. It takes a lot of time and effort to keep all the clothing cleaned, organized and ready for when it is needed…

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” – Colossians 2:6-7

A few weeks ago, a tornado tore through Shawnee.  Thankfully, the tornado was limited in strength.  It was bad enough!  Houses were damaged, businesses were forced to close, and so many power polls and trees were broken. The storm damage covered a large part of the town.

St. Luke’s has spent time and money helping people recover from the tornado.  I have been so glad to work alongside so many people that have given their energy to bless those whose lives were interrupted by this tornado.  While out working, I have seen so many trees with damage.  Some of the trees will recover, but sadly, some trees were completely uprooted and turned over.  The high winds pushed the large trees right out of the ground.  The tornado revealed that these trees were able to grow tall but had no roots.

The Apostle Paul was concerned about the young church growing in this same way…

The book of Colossians is one of the Apostle Paul’s most significant writings. It is part of a group of letters, from the Apostle Paul, known as the “Prison Letters.” Paul was in prison but allowed the freedom to write and connect with the young churches he had started. Through these letters, Paul would strengthen the faith of the early church and teach the faith to future generations.

Even though Paul had been arrested and confined, he was still successful in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and growing the church. Paul’s work is an example to us all. Although his journeys were stopped, Paul was still able to find a way forward. This is because Paul stayed focused on the One who called him into ministry. Paul would find strength, inspiration, and the grace to continue his work, even while under arrest. His focus on Christ allowed his perception to remain positive, even while enduring the hardship of imprisonment…

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you have for all the saints,” –Colossians 1:3-4

The letter to the Colossians is one of the Apostle Paul’s most substantial writings. There are few books in the Bible with deeper reflection on who Christ is and the work of Christ in the world. Paul writes this letter to not only encourage the Colossians, but to remind them of all that they have and all that they are because of Christ.

It is interesting to me that Paul does not begin this letter with a great theological message or immediate instructions on how to do something in the church. Instead, he begins with gratitude. In the very beginning of the letter, Paul tells the people that, “We always thank God, The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you.” Paul gives us a glimpse into his faith practice. Although his work on behalf of the church was hard, and the people he encountered were difficult, Paul lifted prayers of gratitude.

“Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”

And as he sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”