by Naomi Moon

Vocations

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link.

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 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.”
Colossians 3:12-17 English Standard Version, emphasis added

This section of Colossians gives us instructions on how to live as people who know of the goodness and freedom that we have received through Christ’s death and resurrection. We know the Gospel, and act differently in order to share this Good News. I think then of the different vocations we have, the callings that we live out in our daily lives, and how we are to act differently. 

One afternoon, I was watching my son play outside and fight dragons with his pretend stick sword in order to save the princess. In some ways, he is living out his duty to protect and serve in his world of play. He can give sacrificially, be brave in the face of danger, and love as much as his little heart can to protect his sister. In our lives, because we know of the goodness of Christ, we can live sacrificially, be brave, and protect one another. This may mean calling someone out in love, showing them the Law, like our text says. This may mean teaching someone about Christ who doesn’t know of the forgiveness found in him. No matter what your vocation is, “whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado