Devotion: Colossians 3:14

Colossians 3:14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Before we begin today’s devotion, take a few minutes to read the passage from which it comes. Start at the beginning of chapter 3 and read through verse 14. In verse 12 we see that we are to clothe ourselves with various virtues. Those are the virtues that our verse is referring to when it says over all these virtues put on love. They include compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, as well as the reminder to forgive one another.

We choose daily to put on these virtues. It is a conscious choice, something we must strive to do. It is not automatic just because we are believers. We must make the effort to put on these virtues like clothing (Colossians 3:12).

And over all of them we put on love. Again the word in Greek is agape, which we learned about on day one. It is unconditional, sacrificial, and focused on the highest good of others. It is this unconditional love that binds everything together in perfect unity. Love empowers us to be compassionate and kind. It enables us to be humble and patient. It allows us to be gentle when engaging with others.

With God’s agape love we have the power to put on these virtues and live them out. Trying to clothe ourselves with them on our own is challenging because we lack the power of the Holy Spirit guiding and enabling us to exhibit the virtues. But when we choose to open our hearts to the Spirit and ask Him to guide us, we can put on each virtue and let them all be bound together in unity, perfected by God who pours out His blessings on you and those you interact with.

His sacrificial, unconditional love can be yours to experience and yours to share. Ask Him to help you love others the way He has loved you. Rid yourself of all the negative actions and beliefs (anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language [Colossians 3:8]) and embrace His powerful, consuming, holy love.

Prayer: Lord, Fill me with Your love. I want to love others the way You have loved me. I want my love for others to be unconditional and complete. Amen 

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