Colossians 3:15-17 Sing!
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: October 14, 2020 Colossians 3:15-17
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
(Understanding the Text) Paul says that having peace in Jesus should dominate our lives. He says that it should be the top emotion and thought in our mind. I don’t feel at peace many times because I focus on the world and its problems instead of the faith that Jesus is with me and will take care of me. Paul reminds them that they were all called to be one body in Jesus. Thus, there should be peace between all of them. Then Paul says to be thankful. He doesn’t say much about being thankful beyond those few words. I guess be thankful that you are at peace in Christ. Be thankful that you are no longer part of the old life of strife and stress. Be thankful that you are headed to another life that will have none of the pain and bitterness of this life.
Paul says to let Jesus’ words live in us, not just on the surface, but to the very depths of our being. Beyond just reading the word, we should be teaching it and talking to each other about it and singing it. In fact we should sing all kinds of spiritual songs whether it’s Bible verses to old hymns to modern spiritual music. This is one way to thank God and have thankfulness living in us.
(Revelation of God) Paul says to live every minute with Jesus living in our hearts and minds. He says that all of our actions should reflect Jesus living in us. We are to live lives of peace and thankfulness to God because of Jesus’ choices that brought us life and a place in heaven.
(Application / Prayer) My application to myself is that Paul encourages singing as much as reading the word, so I should sing more. It seems to be a way to let God’s word live in me more deeply. Give me the peace and joy that come from beholding You and being thankful for the many gifts that You have given me. I want Your word to sink deeply into my very being and to grow out into every extremity. As the song says, I want you to be my all-in-all.