Whatever You Do
Colossians 3:17 ESV gives us an important reminder today. It says, “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.” Paul shows us how our connection to the Lord should influence every moment of our lives. I will never fully understand the trinity and the dynamic way we engage with the Lord. In this case, my heart is pondering… what does it mean to give thanks to the Father through the name of Jesus?
Perhaps this has something to do with what Jesus says in John 5:19 ESV, saying, “The Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” There is a unity and agreement between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that goes beyond a theoretical or mathematical connection. Again, I cannot claim to have all the knowledge of what this means, and I do not mean to tread into theological waters that I have not studied. Still, I cannot help pondering the unique and powerful ways the trinity interacts with one another and how we are invited into it.
Instead of trying to get a whole picture today, I want to meditate on the simple invitation the scriptures give us. Maybe engaging with one aspect of the trinity will unveil the truth of what else lies in store for those who belong to God’s family.
One thing I know for sure is that Jesus lives a life of gratitude before the Father. We are called to imitate his gratitude and mirror this heart posture. Do you remember this verse? In Matthew 11:25 ESV, Jesus says, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children.”
How does seeing Jesus live in gratitude impact how you live in gratitude today? We can certainly glean from this passage that there is no level of glorification or holiness that exempts us from thanksgiving. On the contrary, increasing glory, freedom, and wisdom will be accompanied by increased gratitude.
I know I am not saying much, but rather setting the table for a conversation between you and God. I hope you can at least see one thing: the path of following Christ is filled with thanksgiving. We all get caught in a rut from time to time, and in that place of being stuck, we can be sure there is no gratitude to be found. I have learned that the impulse of gratitude is a sure sign of my alignment with the work of the kingdom and that the lack thereof is a red flag that I may be on the wrong path.
This is a particular challenge with little room for compromise. I could discuss what it means to operate in the name of Jesus, but so many people have corrupted what this means by living in deception, believing they were in the will of God but so obviously outside of it. This is why I have made thanksgiving a critical filter in my faith. There is certainly more to a life of godliness than thanksgiving, and only God can judge the genuineness of our gratitude, but this is a helpful test to guide us into freedom.
I challenge you to search your heart for the presence or lack of gratitude and ask God to help you shape this day to be more closely aligned with his will. Whatever you are doing today, do it through the name of Jesus and give thanks.
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