a pure princess

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

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 word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 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 3:1-17)

Let's take a personal inventory of what we allow into our lives. Do we seek what is holy? Or, do we accept what is "normal" to this world. Really, on an average day - in all that we read, view, hear, say... are we guarding our hearts and filling our temples wisely? Do we seek what is decent and acceptable in the eyes of our Savior?

I fear we are not. I fear that many of us have actually gotten used to sinfulness. We have accepted it as normal. I'm amazed at how much indecency unbecoming to a Christian woman we actually have given into. It is everywhere: our conversations, media, games, music, clothing... even in some of our churches. When we read the news, we are faced with tragedy and hopelessness. When we view movies and television, we are overwhelmed with immodesty, vulgar language and violence. When we flip through magazines (even Christian magazines) we are inundated with advertisements prodding us into accepting how unsatisfied life must be since we haven't purchased, read, or attended the latest "whatever" out there. And it is not just toward us alone - it is part of what we teach our children to accept also.

So, today I feel compelled to ask, do we REALLY live our lives seeking what is holy for ourselves?...for our families? Do we guard our hearts or do we just allow ourselves to become increasingly numb to the sensory overload of sin out there?

Read Colossians 3 again and ask yourself these important questions:

(1) As God's child, do you make a point to clothe yourself and your family with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience?

(2) Do you let the words of Christ dwell in you "richly"? (Before answering this, meditate on what Paul meant when he added the word "richly" into this passage?)

(3) Do you spend your time mirroring Christ? Do you worship Him regularly by singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs? If so, how often? Is it more than how much television or Internet time you digest in each day?

(4) Are you grateful... really grateful to God in your heart? If so, do your actions compliment your gratitude?

(5) Most importantly, in whatever you do... whether in word (speech) or deed (actions), do you do it in the name of the Lord Jesus?

Now back to our personal inventory... Do we really seek what is holy? Do we let Christ rule in our hearts so that He outwardly shows up in every area of our lives. Do we insist upon pleasing Him in all things? Or have we given in and given up in some areas? Would we be embarrassed to have Jesus sit next to us and watch what we watch? Hear what we say? Accept what we have come to accept?

Perhaps it is time to surrender these areas over to Him and ask Him for forgiveness. Paul reminds us to "put to death" whatever belongs to our earthly nature and set our hearts and minds on things above.

DW's, we are saved by grace and set apart from this world. Our Master desires for us to be close to Him and live honorably as His royal princesses. He is The King. We should act like His ladies. Let's remember to live graciously and praise Him with our lives.

He is worthy and pure... As his daughters, we should strive to be pure also.

Blessings!

~Victoria