“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” — Colossians 3:15-17, NIV
God’s love for us is awe-inspiring. He sent Jesus Christ to die in our place. This sacrifice and willingness took place while we were caught up in our sins and concerned with ourselves. To people living in today’s culture, this is almost incomprehensible. After all, why would someone sacrifice and love without anything in return? God’s mercy and love, great and awesome, is not conditional like the love we are familiar with; it is perfect.
For Christians, our response to Christ’s gift to us can be eternal gratitude. Serving God while we are living is a way to show gratitude and even after we have died, we will still praise the Lord. There is nothing we could ever do to repay what Jesus has done. However, he does not expect anything other than our hearts and love. What good news that is for us!
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