Read: Colossians 3:12-17
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. (v. 17)
Verse 17 caps off this remarkable set of verses we have spent the last four days savoring. After going through that whole wardrobe of Christ and telling the Colossians to be gentle, forgiving, and filled with the peace and the word of Christ, it all comes down to this: do everything for Jesus. It is as though Paul had almost run out of breath, and now he was saying, “Well, folks, you know what? I could go on and on and keep listing one thing after the next. I could talk until I’m blue in the face. So tell you what, let’s just leave it at this: do everything for Jesus and you will be all set.”
Talk about a catchall! Imagine if someone asked Paul, “Can I leave a couple areas of my life outside of my faith? I mean, Jesus can’t possibly be interested in my bank account or vacation planning, can he?” Had Paul encountered that question—and you get the sense he actually did—he would have simply crossed his arms across his chest, took a deep breath, and said, “What part of ‘everything’ did you not get, my friend?”
Everything is in the mix. And oh yes, so is abiding thanksgiving. With your every exhaled breath, whisper a word of gratitude to God for all that he has given you in Christ. Give thanks. For everything. Just flat out everything. —Scott Hoezee
As you pray, give thanks to God. For everything!
About the Author
Scott Hoezee is an ordained pastor in the Christian Reformed Church of North America. He served two Michigan congregations from 1990-2005 and since 2005 has been a faculty member at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he serves chiefly as the Director of The Center for Excellence in Preaching. He is the author of several books, including most recently Why We Listen to Sermons (Calvin Press 2019) and is the co-host of the “Groundwork” radio program.
