Setting our heart and mind

DEVOTION

THE LETTER TO THE COLOSSIANS

SETTING OUR HEART AND MIND

 Col 3:1-4

3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

NIV

We were just told we died with Christ and therefore we should die to the basic principles of the world. Paul goes on now to tell us we have also been raised from the dead with Christ. We are in fact born again a new person, the old person died and as Christ was raised in a glorified state, so have we. Although he could appear and disappear, or walk through a locked door, we are still captive to this physical form, however, our spirit is born again and we should live as though that is true. Jesus had his mind set on returning to the Father and there was a twofold reason, at least that we are told. First, in order for him to send the Holy Spirit to be our comforter, counselor or guide into the truth, Jesus had to return to the Father. Secondly, Jesus returned to the Father in order to prepare a place for us, so that he could come again and take us to that place so that where he is, we would be also. Now, there is also a third reason he returned and that was to sit at the right hand of the Father, a place of honor. This is why we should set our hearts and our minds on things above, heaven, that place where Jesus is seated at the right hand of God. We are told to set our minds on things above and not on earthly things. What exactly does that look like? How do we translate that idea into our daily lives? We still have to get up and go to work, as do that work as onto the Lord. We still have to shop for food and personal items. We need a home whatsoever that is, source of travel, to get to work and the store. We need to be able to live in this life and do the things life requires. But this is not our home, we are just passing through, our treasures are laid up beyond the blue, the angels beckon us from heavens open door, and we can’t feel at home in this world anymore. Our goals should not be about how much we can accumulate of worldly things, whether that be material goods or simply money. Our plans should not be about how much we can set aside for a comfortable retirement, as so many of the radio ads by financial adviser groups’ subject. We should not even set our goal to be a “Good Christian”, trying to live up to a set of rules and regulations, or the traditions of men, as Paul previously mentioned. Our goal should be to be with Christ, to attain heaven and that can only be done through faith in the grace of God, Jesus. Nothing of this earth that we have accomplished or accumulated will matter when Jesus, who is our life, appears, for when he appears, we will appear in glory with him. This corruptible will put on incorruptible, this perishable will put on imperishable. We will be changed in the twinkling of an eye.  Ont this is what we are to set our hearts and minds.