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
“Contemplation is the highest expression of man’s intellectual and spiritual life. It is that life itself, fully awake, fully active, fully aware that it is alive. It is spiritual wonder. It is spontaneous awe at the sacredness of life, of being. It is gratitude for life, for awareness and for being. It is a vivid realization of the fact that life and being in us proceed from an invisible, transcendent and infinitely abundant Source.”
Thomas Merton in New Seeds of Contemplation (New York: New Directions, 1961) 1.
As we move on to the next letter of Paul, we dig into Colossians. In this letter, He urges us to pause, to contemplate, to soak in the peace and message of Christ. Why? So thankfulness and gratitude wells up within us and propel us to generous living and service. Take a few minutes today to do this. But how?
Merton would likely say to contemplate the goodness of God as the “invisible, transcendent and infinitely abundant Source” of all that is good. Soak in wonder of the gospel and the unfailing love that Christ has for you. Revel in God’s faithful provision in your life and how you have been blessed to be a blessing.
Then, let the fruit of contemplation, gratitude, propel you to good works. Elsewhere the Apostle Paul describes them as the good words that God has prepared in advance for you to do. I am learning that God wants these good works to flow from a grateful heart. And, share what you are learning with someone today to grow together.