1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. Colossians 3:1–2
We often admit we’re not in the right mindset. There seems to be some effort necessary to obtain it, since everyone says they need to “get into it.” Things go awry when our minds have been distracted, or worse, held captive by wrong thinking. Some in the Colossian church were off base, and needed to dive back quickly. They were not focused on the “things above.”
Can it be possible to be so heavenly minded to be no earthly good? Not according to Paul. He wanted the Colossians, and us, in that kind of mindset all the time, to open up our lawn chairs right next to the Lord’s heavenly throne. This might sound like “silly talk,” but it’s hard to be distracted sitting next to Jesus next to God. When we pray, “Lord, what would you have me do,” they are within ear’s shot!
The operative command in this passage is to “keep seeking” (zeteo in the Greek) the things above. This is necessary because we’ve been raised up with Christ, and above all else, this is where he dwells. Yet he dwells in us!
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Ephesians 3:14–17a
I’ve just watched two weeks’ worth of athletics at the highest level, and I was in good company, because I suspect the Apostle Paul would have also tuned in. There’s always the closeup of the athlete attempting to get “into the zone,” in the blocks, in the ring, on the stand, on the runway, muttering self-motivating words, eyes riveted on the challenge ahead. Would that we be so focused, and that those words are always, “Help me Lord!”
Leave a Reply