Colossians 3:17

NASB	NLT	VOICE
17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.	17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.	17 Surely, no matter what you are doing (speaking, writing, or working), do it all in the name of Jesus our Master, sending thanks through Him to God our Father.

Acting in God’s Name

Paul mentions that there is no separation between sacred and secular activities for Christians. Everything that we must do then, must reflect our faith in Christ. The early church was diverse with Jews and Gentiles, seeing daily life mixed in with religious practices. Paul encourages the Colossians to do everything in God’s name. Doing something in God’s name means to act with His authority and in a way that reflects His character. The name of Jesus holds ultimate power and authority. When we invoke a name, we act under the authority of that person. In everything we do in the name of Jesus, we need to thank God. Gratitude was a countercultural practice. Many pagan religions focused on pleasing different deities instead of expressing gratitude.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: Doing something in God’s name represents acting with God’s authority. How does this compare to the commandment about not taking God’s name in vain?

Living a Worshipful Life

Worship is a lifestyle. Worshipping God is not confined to the church. Our work, conversations, and interactions are all acts of worship. Remember, when we do as a representative of God, we are utilizing His authority in a way that reflects His love to all. The best example of God’s character can be found in Exodus 34:6, which says: “Yahweh passed by before him, and proclaimed: ‘Yahweh! Yahweh, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth,” God forgives. When we run into people that cross our boundaries, we are called to forgive. We may not restore the relationship to where it was before, but we must get to a point of mutual respect of each other. We need to recognize that we are all human and all flawed. God loves. Again, we are all humans. We are all trying to make it through our chaotic world every day, and when we use our words and actions to love. We become the light of Christ reflected to the world. God is patient. The Hebrew word for patience describes being longsuffering willingly with someone else. Everyone is maneuvering through life at different speeds, and we live in a world that wants everything now. The more patience we have with people, the more accessible we can make the world, which makes the world more aligned with God’s character. To live in lovingkindness and truth, is a combination of reflecting God’s commands to all around us. It’s a faithful obedience to the commands that God shows us, through Jesus. Jesus gives us the human-like example of what it means to do what God calls us to do. Through all these things, we can live a worshipful lifestyle that best honor God and reflects who He is to all people.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: Which characteristic of God listed in Exodus 34:6 do you feel best represents your relationship with Christ?

PRAY Action

Praise God for the acts of worship that we have in our life. There are so many ways to worship God through our acts and our words, thank God that there is so many ways to honor Him.

Read 1 Corinthians 10:31

Ask God to help us slow down and take each moment intentionally. We need to take everything we do as a moment of thankfulness for God.

You are a source of worship. You are a reflection of Christ. Let’s go out and share this light to all people.

Next slice of manna: Embracing Gratitude || Hebrews 12:28 || Manna for the Mind #304