Colossians 3:15 AMP Bible
And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ's] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].
Did you know that at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, James Madison proposed the plan to divide the central government into three branches: Executive (Office of the President), Legislative (House of Representatives), and Judicial (Supreme Court)? Did you know that foundation for this model of government came from Isaiah 33:22, which says:
“For the LORD is our judge,
the LORD is our lawgiver,
the LORD is our king;
He will save us.”21
It’s interesting to know that the scriptures influenced our Founding Fathers to establish such a unique form of government. They took God’s character and translated it into a system that would bring peace and structure to our country knowing that the power in God’s word would direct each step they took.
The good news is, the scriptures can continue to influence us in the same way today. In fact, the Word of God tells us to let His peace be our umpire. Sometimes we can get so caught up in drama, it’s hard to figure out what to do next. Our emotional attachment to situations can easily get in the way and cloud our judgment. Our minds can be screaming with the wrongs and rights, and joys and hurts, that it becomes difficult to make a rational decision. When we learn to quiet ourselves and allow the scriptures to lead us, God’s peace will be that umpire that helps us make the right call. When we bulldoze through things, not giving the scriptures consideration, we're ignoring the resource of peace that God has provided for us. Conversely, when we let peace be our guide and listen to that still small whisper of the Holy Spirit telling us the next step to take, we'll find ourselves enjoying more and more success. Take advantage of the built in umpire God has given us to make the right decisions today.
Action steps
- Read - Re-read Colossians 3:15 AMP.
- Think - Is there an area of unrest in your life that you are either ignoring or procrastinating?
- Write - Journal what you could do to get to a quiet place to discover God's peace.
- Pray - Ask God to help you receive the peace that He has provided to you.
- Take away - The more we let the peace of God be our umpire, the more we'll enjoy the magnificent life God has for us.
“The only foundation for…a republic is to be laid in Religion [Christianity]. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments.”