On Things Above

Colossians 3:1-4 (CSB)

So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the 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 hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.


Reflection

I was incredibly fortunate to grow up with parents who understood and lived this principle…maybe a little too much, if you had asked me then. I can remember times during my teen years when I would be upset about something that my sibling(s) said, a friend did, or an unfair circumstance, and my dad would almost always say, “I know this seems like a big deal to you now, but in the grand scheme of eternity, this won’t matter.” Each time it happened, I knew it was coming, and would listen with a thinly veiled attempt to appear respectful. At that age, my focus was very limited to the small world happening around me. The call inward and upward from my dad was unappreciated in those moments of my adolescence, but as an adult, I’m so grateful my parents demonstrated a kingdom mindset.

I accepted Jesus’ sacrifice for my sin and was baptized at a very young age, but I didn’t fully understand until I was older that I had died with Christ and been raised to new life with Him (verse 1). What I didn’t understand then is that we embody His death and resurrection in that moment (salvation) and then every moment for the rest of our lives (sanctification). When a person believes in Jesus, he or she dies to one’s own preferences, persuasions, and pursuits, and is raised with Christ to a new life focused on things above (verse 2).

Baptism is the physical act that demonstrates this transition in our hearts. We are submerged in the water, representing death to self, and raised up to show we are now alive in Christ Jesus our Lord. Where is Jesus right now? He is “seated at the right hand of God” (verse 1). Paul urges us to “set your minds on things above, not earthly things” (verse 2) because Jesus is in heaven until we join Him there, either through our physical death or His return. For the one who is “hidden with Christ” (verse 3), it only makes sense to live for things above instead of here below.

As much as 15-year-old me would cringe to hear me say this, my dad was right. I don’t even remember what happened in those moments back then to upset me. However, I do remember God’s instruction to view life through an eternal lens and live for His kingdom.


Action Steps

Are you going through a challenging situation or struggling with your circumstances? Make two lists and label one “eternal” and the other “temporary.” Spend a few minutes evaluating which category the things that bother you fit into, and then write them down accordingly. Ask God to help you surrender the things on your list that are temporary and focus on the things that are eternal.


Prayer
 
Holy Spirit, help me discern what is important to You and what is not. I want to focus on things above, so please help me to shift my mind to Jesus and the things that matter to Him. Help me let go of earthly things in each challenge I face and filter every experience through Your eternal lens. Amen.