Blessings come from applying God's Word

Is the mind of Christ living in you?

May the mind of Christ, my Savior,
live in me from day to day.
By His love and power controlling
all I do and say.

May the word of God dwell richly
in my heart from hour to hour.
So that all may see I triumph
only through His pow'r.

May the peace of God my Father
rule my life in ev'rything.
That I may be calm to comfort,
sick and sorrowing.
Kate B. Wilkinson (1859-1928)

Christian growth

Many Christians have made the commitment to be more like Jesus—but where do you start? The apostle Paul told the Philippian believers, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5, KJV). And that's just where the hymn "May the Mind of Christ My Savior" begins. But does the mind of Christ become part of us? Kate Wilkinson directs us to Colossians 3:16 for the answer: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." In the third stanza Wilkinson returns to Philippians for this promise: "And the peace of God…will guard your hearts and your minds" (Philippians 4:7). And so the song builds.

Christian growth is not instantaneous but gradual. It flows naturally from obeying God's Word. Thomas à Kempis, who wrote the Christian classic The Imitation of Christ, said, "One thing that draws back many from spiritual progress is the fear of the difficulty of the labor of the combat." Don't give up what you have started.

Adapted from The One Year Book of Hymns
(Tyndale House) entry for January 2