Colossians 3:1-3. 5a English Standard Version

Put On the New Self

¹If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ³ For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁵ Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:

When I find it difficult to sleep, my past life appears in my mind’s eye. I can see what I did as a young man who had no control over self. All I can think about is “What was wrong with you? How could you have been like that?” I felt ashamed for him but there was nothing that I could do for him. He is dead now.

Then I realize that my sin nature still remains. I am still capable of doing harm to others, perhaps even more harm because unlike that boy, I have lost my innocence. I know what evil is and what evil does.

Then the calm settles in my soul because I know without a doubt that I am changed. I am His new creation. I am not myself anymore, I am the Lords.

I lost control in that former life. It was only in giving control of my life to Christ that I was set free from the power of sin in my life. My Lord is in control.

I look at self-control differently now. I am free to choose that which is right and good because I am no longer ignorant of what a soul left to its own devices will choose. I have not been alone for a very long time.

He was not wrong when He said “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

I am not alone. I am not afraid. When memories come I see them for what they are now, a reminder that I have been changed because I am not alone.

John 1:43 English Standard Version (ESV) The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”

Today is Monday December 26th, the next day. This opening verse has nothing to do with Christmas and we can only relate to this next day by asking ourselves “Where has Jesus decided to go?”

If we are followers of Jesus Christ, we need to know where He is going in order to follow Him.

Before I began writing this I looked at my calendar and noticed that today is Christmas day celebrated by the business world. Because the 25th landed on Sunday, employers have given this Monday off. It is not “business as usual”.

For this retired author today is business as usual. My day begins with “Where are we going today?” Jesus does not take off days. He does not relent even a second of time. He is with us always. He is God and only God can do that.

Being human we get to choose how we spend this day. No judgment here, it is not for me to say to anyone what their needs are today. The list of possibilities is too large to list. What we do have is the freedom to decide for ourselves what to do with this day.

I can only speak for myself and anything I do should not be suggested as something that anyone should follow by example. This relationship with Christ is personal and being a follower of Christ means to answer to Him, not me, not your pastor, not your parents, and definitely not your boss today.

One of the great pleasures in following Jesus is the freedom we enjoy to make choices for ourselves without judgment. As Paul wrote in Romans 8:1 no condemnation for those who are in Christ.

Are you in Christ? If so, praise God and be free to make your choices about how you spend this day.

As for me, I am here for you, because my Lord is here for you.