Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4
Have you ever had your heart set on something? In 1978 my heart was set on having my own portable 8-track player. So much so that as Christmas approached, I couldn’t resist the temptation of my presents any longer. I found the box that was about the size of a portable 8-track player, and I unwrapped it. Sure enough, it was a portable 8-track player.
I felt guilty like I had broken one of the Ten Commandments: Thou Shalt Not Openeth Thy Presents Prior to the Appearance of Saint Nick. I also felt exhilarated. I was no longer limited to the turntable in my bedroom. Now I could “Boogie Oogie Oogie” (by A Taste of Honey) wherever I could find an electrical outlet. Although, dancing was a sin...
We can set our hearts and our minds on silly things. Not long after 1978, I abandoned my beloved portable 8-track player for a cassette player. My 8-track player ended up in my dad’s workshop no longer playing Boston and Kansas, it became sanctified with the Blackwood Brothers.
The point Paul is making here is that we can actually set our hearts on something. We can set our minds. Just like we can set our alarm clock or set an appointment, we can change the focus of our hearts and minds from our sinful nature to things that are above.
Our default is our sinful nature. We have to intentionally set our minds on the things of God. Just like we have to reset our alarm clocks after a power outage, daily we have refocus our thoughts and desires to the things of God. If our minds are blinking 12:00, it’s not a good thing.
How do you intentionally change the channel in your mind from sinful things to godly things? It’s not a matter of your own effort, but it is a matter of your will. How often do you willfully focus on what God wants for your life, your family, your work and your play? God wants you to live a satisfying life for Him. The temptation is to take shortcuts to the temporary satisfaction that our sinful nature draws us to. Only God can bring complete fulfillment to our lives.
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