Things Above

"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."
Colossians 3:1-4

It is so easy for a believer to get caught up in the things of this world, and to allow ourselves to set our minds on "things on the earth." After all, we live here don't we? The encouragement from Paul here, is not a question of "if" you have been raised with Christ. The original language renders it "since" you have been raised with Christ, or "because you are" raised with Christ. So the encouragement, the exhortation, is that because we are raised with Christ, let us seek the higher things, the noble things, the things that are right and true; holy things, if you will.

When I think about or try to imagine what the throne room of heaven is like, the place where Christ is sitting at the right hand of the Father, it is hard to actually put into words, because words do it little justice. I think of a lot of bright light, which does not bother anyone, since there is nothing to hide in heaven, in that holy place. I think of the holiness of God. The purity and holiness of God. What a thing to imagine. What a greater thing it will be when we behold it with our own lives. And there we will be, in the very physical presence of Jesus Christ, who gave His life for me, and you - for us. And we can stand there in that purity, in all of that holiness and righteousness, because our life is hidden with Christ in God. What a truly amazing thing to wrap your mind around.

Therefore, my beloved, as believers, we are to seek after the good things, the noble things, the things that are true, and not be caught up in this world. This world seeks after its own. The things that are self-important, that make one self-righteous, and self-ish. The person we used to be, that was tied to this world, has died with Christ, and we now live our lives in Him. So we live pure lives; we live holy lives. Perfect lives? No way. But a life submitted to Christ; a life that is led by the Holy Spirit, who teaches us all things, and convicts us of sin. It is a walk of humility, a forgiven walk. It is a life that is lived in daily submission to the One who died for us. It is a life of abandonment to our old ways, and to the ways of this world - the ways of thinking and living according to this world. Beloved, let us seek those things which are above, where Christ is. Imagine yourself in the throne room of heaven. What would you seek after there? What would you do there? How would you think there? It leaves me speechless at times. And then, when He appears, we will appear with Him in glory. What a wonderful, glorious thought! Amen? Amen.