Scripture: Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Devotion: When it comes to the battle of the mind, we know that what consumes our mind can control our life. We saw that play out in the life of David. And if you missed yesterday’s devotional, no worries! I would just encourage you to go read that quick and then come back here. Because today, we are building on that very idea.
We know that what we fix our thoughts on, we often give power to. So, in light of the desire to press into God’s peace, what should consume our minds? The Apostle Paul encourages the church of Colossae, who he authored the book of Colossians, to fix their thoughts on things above, not on earthly things. But what exactly does this mean? How are we to think about things above when we have only ever experienced life here on this earth?
Reading the first part of Colossians 3 in its entirety will provide us with some context. It says, “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.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:1-17).
Here, we get a type of bullet point list of what we should do away with and what we should embrace instead. While certainly not all-encompassing, we are reminded that we should rid ourselves of things like sexual immorality, anger, and idolatry. And that we should clothes ourselves in things like compassion and humility. We then circle back to our overarching theme of this week: peace. Paul here says that we are called to peace. We can find that peace by setting our minds on things above, for our life is now found in Christ. And Christ alone provides the peace that surpasses all understanding.
Reflect:
- Of the things listed that we should clothes ourselves in, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, which do you find comes most naturally? Which does not come as easily to you?
- How can you fix your mind on things such as these, the fruit that comes from living in a relationship with Jesus, instead of the things of this world?
