I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations. For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Psalm 57:9,10 – If we can start our day off with thanksgiving and praise, in the quietness of the morning before the noise of our world gets to us or the busyness of our day, we will find beauty even in the midst of opportunity (sometimes called difficulties). It is refreshing to be aware of God’s grace and experience it’s by-products in and through our lives at the beginning of each new day. So, on this new day, before everything else starts to get your attention, open your mouth and express your praise to the one who is always faithful and watch what happens. (Psalm 37:4)
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15 – This reminds us of the beautiful opportunity we have to continue to experience the by-products of God’s grace. The word -Let – tells us that our Lord’s peace is already in our hearts, but we get the privilege of letting. Letting the peace of Christ rule in our hearts gives glory to God and a blessing to others who have to work and live with us. So on this new day, enjoy letting and you will find yourself so thankful and joyful that you will hardly be able to contain it. Does God have a beautiful plan for us, or what?
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:9 – When grace has become effective in our lives through the way we think and feel, then we can live life without condemnation. Repentance then becomes a place of worship without guilt or shame. In this condition we experience confidence in our journey with our Lord and even if we are unaware of it, we become examples of the love, kindness, encouragement and grace of our God. On this new day, take a deep breath of God’s Word, enjoy his grace in you and you will have confidence to be a living picture of that promise that is eternal life. Rejoicing, Thanksgiving and praise will follow in and through you to the glory of God. Your day will be awesome.
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Ephesians 2:1,3 – I always find it amazing that our Lord does not say that we were sick or desperately ill or just not doing well. He says - you were dead in your transgressions and sins. Here dead seems to be a very hopeless condition. Right in this condition our Lord lavishes his grace upon us as a gift. WOW! Not only are we not dead in our transgressions and sins, but we have been given that life that is eternal to live and experience his grace along our whole journey. In his grace there is no stress, anxiety, guilt, shame or condemnation. Grace is more than a word, it is his love given in power so that someone who was dead may now live in the freedom of that life called eternal in Jesus the Christ our Lord. On this new day, enjoy his grace through your praise and thanksgiving.