3 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.
The above verses are from Colossians 3:1-3. This is one of my favorite little letters in the Bible. Paul is writing to the church in Colossae. At this time in history it is a small, out of the way place that Paul had never even personally been too. He spent the first two chapters talking to them about the supremacy of Christ. To encourage them to put Him first and not to add on to the gospel with other things. He will say this a variety of ways in the different letters he writes, but here he simply tells them to "set your hearts on things above."
I spend a lot of time talking to my clients at work about the mind. Our mind is a powerful thing and focusing on positive things can change and affect our mood. To set your heart to me is something perhaps even more powerful because our heart is the seat of who we are, where our hope is and where our aspirations and dreams are. In the world, the media seems to suggest that our dream should be wealth, power, prestige or a combination of all of these or more. But, as a believer, I am to invite Christ into my dreams, aspirations, goals and allow him to change them all for the better. In fact, if they don't please him I am to give those things up. That is part of what it means for Him to be Lord.
To me, it also means that it should change my definition of what it means to be a success. The world has a definition of that and it is mainly seen as something external. I can just a successful person by the Lexus or big car they drive or money they have or where they live. This also seems to be promoted by the health and wealth, prosperity gospel of today. But, the truth is that many of the believers in the Bible and even Paul himself would have been considered poor. In fact, the moment that Paul is writing this is that he is in prison in Rome. Jesus himself relied on the gifts of strangers to fund his ministry and had very little in terms of material possessions.
Not just that, but it means to change my definition of what is important. Its the difference between focusing on what is eternal verses what is temporary. Money is temporary. Our society is in love with and worships money. And we have never as a nation been in more debt, both personal and corporate. We are also in debt as a nation in spiritual leadership and strength. Our churches are weak and dying and lacking in power. That is because our priorities as a country and as a church are in the wrong place. We are to be set apart and sanctified, not the same as the world. People are what is important. To love God and to love others and to remember that the souls of people are eternal.
The above verses are from Colossians 3:1-3. This is one of my favorite little letters in the Bible. Paul is writing to the church in Colossae. At this time in history it is a small, out of the way place that Paul had never even personally been too. He spent the first two chapters talking to them about the supremacy of Christ. To encourage them to put Him first and not to add on to the gospel with other things. He will say this a variety of ways in the different letters he writes, but here he simply tells them to "set your hearts on things above."
I spend a lot of time talking to my clients at work about the mind. Our mind is a powerful thing and focusing on positive things can change and affect our mood. To set your heart to me is something perhaps even more powerful because our heart is the seat of who we are, where our hope is and where our aspirations and dreams are. In the world, the media seems to suggest that our dream should be wealth, power, prestige or a combination of all of these or more. But, as a believer, I am to invite Christ into my dreams, aspirations, goals and allow him to change them all for the better. In fact, if they don't please him I am to give those things up. That is part of what it means for Him to be Lord.
To me, it also means that it should change my definition of what it means to be a success. The world has a definition of that and it is mainly seen as something external. I can just a successful person by the Lexus or big car they drive or money they have or where they live. This also seems to be promoted by the health and wealth, prosperity gospel of today. But, the truth is that many of the believers in the Bible and even Paul himself would have been considered poor. In fact, the moment that Paul is writing this is that he is in prison in Rome. Jesus himself relied on the gifts of strangers to fund his ministry and had very little in terms of material possessions.
Not just that, but it means to change my definition of what is important. Its the difference between focusing on what is eternal verses what is temporary. Money is temporary. Our society is in love with and worships money. And we have never as a nation been in more debt, both personal and corporate. We are also in debt as a nation in spiritual leadership and strength. Our churches are weak and dying and lacking in power. That is because our priorities as a country and as a church are in the wrong place. We are to be set apart and sanctified, not the same as the world. People are what is important. To love God and to love others and to remember that the souls of people are eternal.
