Colossians 3:12 NIV
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
“Christians are God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved. God has assured them in Christ that their membership in his people, their being ‘set apart’ for his service (that is the underlying meaning of ‘holy’), depends not on their goodness but on his grace, not on their lovableness but on his love. These titles are not only used of Israel in the Old Testament, but also of Jesus Christ in the New: he is the ‘chosen’ one (1 Pet. 2:4, 6), the holy one (John 6:69; Acts 4:27, 30, etc.), the one supremely beloved by the Father (Matt. 3:17; Eph. 1:6, etc.). It is in him that Christians find their identity as God’s people.” (N. T. Wright, Colossians and Philemon: An Introduction and Commentary)
Being a beloved, just like Jesus Christ, is the greatest blessing and best life. Not only are we to be loved, but we are to be love – it’s a 2-way street here. It’s the natural overflow from God pouring out his love into us through the Holy Spirit. Being clothed in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, as Colossians 3 talks about, are all aspects of God’s great love exemplified in Jesus and given to us through the Spirit. God’s very presence clothes us to be love to all those around us.
Prayer: God, what wonder that we are supremely and dearly loved. Thank you for setting me apart for your kingdom work, so as to not earn your love but to participate from your love. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Let’s desire to be more like Jesus as we meditate on his love with “Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me” by CityAlight. (click here).
– CHH
