Mid-Week Message - Things Above

"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 (NIV)

Walmart is a great place to people watch.  Today, I was sitting in the car waiting for my beloved to come out of the store and, as I always do, I was watching the people coming and going from the building.  It is spring break here so there were plenty of mothers with children, several senior citizens, and of course, single individuals.  What I noticed about each of them, without exception, was that their eyes were focusing on their cars, the store, or the basket they were pushing.  Everything that they were looking at was earth level.  

At one point I glanced up and saw some birds soaring overhead, gently gliding on the breeze.  It occurred to me that, unlike the beings below them, they were free.  They weren't tied down by possessions.  They weren't worried about what time it was and where they needed to be in the next hour.  They had no concern about how much money they had or how they were going to provide food and shelter for their families.  They were simply riding the wind.  Some even appeared to be having fun.  

Our lives are encumbered with so much that draws our focus away from the things above.  During this time in history, making a living is just plain hard for so many.  Providing for ourselves is expensive.  Unlike the birds I saw today, we have responsibilities that must be met.  So how do we do as the scripture says and set our minds on things above and not earthly things?  

The Lord has promised to provide for our needs.  All good things come from Him, therefore, all we have belongs to Him.  When we are able to understand that those earthly items that we treasure are His and not ours, it changes our perspective a bit and we are more able to let go of those things that serve no purpose in our lives.  When we understand that He is our provider then we can look to Him when we have needs arise and trust Him to take care of those needs as He has promised to do and in the way He chooses.  

Our desires for earthly things also need to be addressed.  There is nothing in this world that we can take with us when our Father calls us home.  As my husband says, "we came into this world with nothing and we will leave it with nothing."  When we truly compare what this world can give us to what awaits in Heaven, there is no contest.  In Heaven we will have perfect joy and all that will surround us will be more glorious than we can even imagine.  So, I am asking myself today which I truly want.  

As you go through this week, I ask you to do what I will be doing.  That is, addressing the things, the situations, the responsibilities in my life and examining them to see if they are drawing my focus needlessly away from what God has for me above.  Then, I will be asking Him what needs to be done next.  With all my heart, I wish for God's greatest blessings for each of you.