Colossians chapter three opens with the statement “if then you have been raised with Christ”. With this phrase Paul sets up the change that occurs in our lives when we become Christians. Christianity results in putting to death “earthly” desires like sexual immorality and idolatry (Col. 3:5-9) and putting on compassion, kindness, and thankfulness (3:9-17). The attitude of thankfulness is mentioned three times throughout this section, and with Thanksgiving around the corner it’s as good a time as any to discuss how thankfulness should permeate our lives. First, after listing all that we have put on as new creations in Christ, Paul reminds us that we have been “called in one body” and for that
“Rest is a weapon given to us by God. The enemy hates it because he wants you stressed and occupied.” Elisabeth Elliot For some reason we feel the need to be busy, so busy in fact that the concept of rest is almost a bad word. Rest is for the lazy. Rest is never deserved. We’ll “rest when we’re dead”. Rest is the few hours of sleep we get in the evening so that we can wake up and be busy all over again the next day. We have missed the significance of rest. Weightlifters have rest days in order to allow their muscles to recharge. Companies around the world have times of rest in the middle of the day and are even experimenting with four-day work weeks and seeing increased productivity as a re
