July 26

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”   —COLOSSIANS 3:2

If our Christian diet consists of listening to a sermon once a week, we will be utterly bored and frustrated with the Christian life. Christ will not be the one we are looking to for direction, because we simply will not know enough. Our minds will mostly be set on pragmatic issues of earning a living, paying the bills, and that too can be frustrating.

Paul tells us, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2). The temptation today is to opt for the quick, easy fix, bypassing the process of renewing our minds, and simply coasting on the good we feel from attending church. Our minds, however, are the initial avenue through which the Gospel message is processed. “I am a sinner, but I am forgiven, cleansed and saved because Christ died for me. I have risen to new life with Him, am indwelt by His Spirit, and now live in dependence upon Him.”  This has to go through our thinking before it registers in our hearts. 

1 Peter 3:15 says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” The hope we have is “Christ in us”, but in addition to knowing this is true, we need to understand why it is true. As we explain it to others, it becomes implanted in their minds and reinforced in our own. Talking about the things of God is extremely important, because the more we do, the more we understand. 

We can only set our minds on the things above when we know what the things above are. Paul says, “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly…” (Colossians 3:16). The things above are what God has revealed to us in His word, and to know His word, is to know the mind and heart of God. If our minds are set on earthly things, we will be limited to our own ingenuity and resources. We will work apart from our Creator and that is a frightening thought for a true believer in Christ. Be transformed by the renewing of our minds; setting our thoughts daily on the things of God, and they will settle into our hearts where change takes place and where our lives begin to make sense.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, grant me an increasing appetite for your word, and through it, a deeper understanding and revelation of You. Thank You, Lord.

TO REFLECT UPON: How could I better set my mind on the things of God?