I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
(Colossians 4:18)

We have come to the end of our Colossians study and what a great book this has been. Paul is so passionate about Christ that even while he is in prison he continues to minister to others. That is some serious dedication. I imagine that if I had been in his shoes I would have been filled with fear and focused more on my circumstances. I think my letter would have been something like “Please pray for me because I can’t seem to focus on anything except that I am cold, tired, hungry and scared.” It would be easy to become self focused but Paul has one thing on his mind and that is making Christ known and he won’t let that little inconvenience of being in chains keep him from doing that.

I love the last verse of this book. Paul picks up the pen himself and asks for prayer and then speaks a benediction on the people of Colossae. “Grace be with you.”

A benediction is a short prayer for divine help, blessing and guidance over the people of God. It is often given at the end of a worship service. I have very fond childhood memories of seeing our pastor (my dad) raise his hand and pray this special blessing over the congregation. It was almost like a special mark that he was leaving with us as we went into the week reminding us that God is mighty to save and eager to bless.

“Grace be with you.”

This is beautiful. Grace is undeserved favor. It is something we need immeasurable amounts of and yet something we do not deserve and cannot earn. We need grace to help us deal kindly with our children and to show love and respect to our husbands. It is grace that causes us to overcome temptations and it is grace that forgives us when we fail. Grace not only gives us  what we need but also things we simply want. Grace stays God’s hand against the wicked and grace allows us to grow in godliness despite our foolishness. Since we all deserve nothing short of hell we can say that everything in our lives is grace.

Grace is freely given by God, and most liberally through Jesus Christ. Since Jesus is the source of our grace we need to stay close to him. We do this by use of the “means of grace.” God has given us gifts that he uses to bless us. We hear God in and are transformed by his word. We speak to God in and are strengthened through prayer. We experience God together in corporate worship. If we want an abundance of grace in our lives then we must seek it in the God who desires to bless us in so many ways (1 Tim 1:14). We seek that grace–we seek Christ–through this sacred means.

Let me leave you with the first benediction found in scripture and I pray that you have a grace filled day.

The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26

Looking to Jesus,

Our four-week Advent Study, begins Monday, November 26.  I hope you can join us.  The FREE Advent study e-book will be available for all blog subscribers beginning November 12. Haven’t subscribed to the Good Morning Girls blog yet?  Click here!

It’s week 8!

This is the final week in the Book of Colossians and I am SO proud of all of you who have been

fully committed

and

faithful to the end!

Have some of your Good Morning Girls deserted you??? I hope not. But if they did…you are not alone. Paul was deserted by someone he loved. Watch this video about the final verses of Colossians 4…you might be tempted to read them like Old Testament geneologies – but they are packed full of good stuff.  Don’t skim them!

Here’s some resources for further study:

John MacArthur

The Speech of the New Man – Colossians 4:2-6

With a Little Help From My Friends – Colossians 4:7-18

John Piper

 Walk in Wisdom: Seize the Moment – Colossians 4:2-6

Final Note:

We are so excited to share that the Free Christmas Advent eBook is almost complete and will be available next week for download.

This 4 week series will begin the Monday after Thanksgiving.

Within the eBook you will find the Bible Reading Plan,  SOAP pages, Christmas Devotionals, recipes, traditions and more!  Details are coming soon…

Walk with the King,

, WomenLivingWell.org

Horatio and Anna Spafford

     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, …
Colossians 3:15-16

Let me tell you the story of Horatio Spafford. Many of you are probably familiar with his hymn “It Is Well With My Soul.” It is one of my favorites not only because of its rich message but also because of the story behind the hymn.

Horatio and his wife Anna lived in Chicago with their 5 children. He had a successful law practice and owned some property on what would now be called Lake Shore Drive. Horatio was an elder in his church and a dedicated Christian. They led a charmed life until 1870 when their faith would be tested with the death of their 4 year old son who had contracted scarlet fever. Then in 1871 the great Chicago fire destroyed Horatio’s investments as well as his law practice. A little while after that Anna began to have trouble with her health. In hopes of helping her heal physically, as well as emotionally from the loss of her son, the family planned a trip to England. At the last minute Horatio had to deal with some business, and so his wife and 4 daughters sailed on the French steamer Ville du Havre without him.  The plan was for Horatio to follow in a day or two. On November 22, 1873 the ship was struck by a British iron sailing ship and within 12 minutes the steamer, Ville du Havre, sank in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. Anna was found unconscious among some debris, but her 4 daughters (one still being a baby) drowned.

When she reached England she telegraphed Horatio saying “Saved alone, what shall I do?” After receiving her message Horatio boarded the next ship to England and when he reached the spot where the Ville du Havre sank he went to his cabin and wrote his famous hymn.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Maybe you haven’t lost your children, or maybe you have, but there are innumerable things that can rob us of peace. For some it is stress over finances, worry over a wayward child or dealing with physical ailments.  But like Horatio, there is true peace to be found.

There is a peace to be had that is genuine, deep, and lasting. It surpasses our circumstances and even our understanding (Phil 4:7). This is not a peace we muster up ourselves or can force. It is a divine peace that must be given by God himself, but one he has told us to seek in Jesus.

There are two ways in which we receive peace from Christ. First, his peace give us communion with God because his wrath and hostility have been removed through the blood of Jesus (Col 1:20). Your sins have been forgiven and your soul has been made right, forever. No matter what happens in your life you can be assured that it is well with your soul.

The peace of Christ also gives us freedom from the world and the devil (John 14:27). Because of Jesus we have the ability to experience true calmness of spirit no matter what storm rages around us.

But the only way this will happen is if we “let the word of Christ dwell in us richly.” It is only here that we get to know more deeply the God who saves us. In scripture we learn that he is always with us (Matt. 28:20), that his hand is in all of our circumstances (Proverbs 20:24), and that he loves us with a passionate and tender love (John 17:22).

Let me hear what God the LORD will say,
for he will speak peace to his people, to his godly ones;
but let them not turn back to folly.
Psalm 85:8

We must be ready to hear what the Lord says and he speaks through his word.

This will not only lead to peace but also to thankfulness because when we learn more about the greatness of God we can’t help but see the sinfulness and smallness of ourselves.
We deserve hell and nothing more and yet God in his mercy and grace has given us salvation. Everything else we have is a gift that comes in and through him. God provides for us in overwhelming ways and when we learn to see God’s care for us we will grow in peace as well as in gratitude.

When the Spafford’s returned to Chicago they ended up having three more children, a son and two daughters. But trials would continue for them when their son contracted scarlet and, like his brother before him, died at age 4. Anna remembered her friend once telling her, “It’s easy to be grateful and good when you have so much, but take care that you are not a fair-weather friend to God.”

Don’t let your circumstances, whether they be difficult or easy, keep you from clinging to Jesus. Only there will you find a true and lasting peace and a deep gratitude which in turn will allow you to be a strong witness to others and bring glory to God.

Looking to Jesus,