Day 5: Ultimate example
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).
We give You joyful thanks, O Father. You have qualified us to share in the inheritance of Your holy people in the kingdom of light. You have rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son You love, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:12-14).
You, Lord God, are light (1John 1:5). You are clothed with splendor and majesty, covering yourself with light as with a garment (Psalm 104:2). And You sent Your Son into a world of darkness to be its light and truth (Psalm 43:3), and to call us... into Your marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).
You cleansed us, O Lord, by the sacrifice of Your perfect lamb without blemish or spot (1 Peter 1:18-19). You not only call us a people who once were not a people (1 Peter 2:10), but You call us chosen, holy, and dearly loved. And as Your people, You call us to follow the way of love (1 Corinthians 14:1).
You lay out for us the beautiful embroidered garments of our royal heritage—compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience—so that we would be robed in Your righteousness (Isaiah 61:10), fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia (Psalm 45:8). You granted us to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure—for... fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints (Revelation 19:8).
Lord, You do not save us by works of righteousness, but according to Your mercy (Titus 3: 5-7 - NJKV). But You desire to conform us to the image of Your Son (Romans 8:29).
You Yourself, the One God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—have set for us the ultimate example of love, forgiveness, oneness, and unity. And You have promised that if we walk in the light as You are in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ Your Son purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:7).
Help us to be mindful that each time we choose the garments of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love, we put on the armor of light (Romans 13:12). Help us to know that when we forgive as You forgave us, and when we seek above all the unifying power of Your love (Colossians 3:13-14), we clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 12:14).
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