Devotional for Thursday, January 9

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1–4)

You are dead.

That’s right. It’s not a typo.

You. Are. Dead.

“But I don’t feel dead. Plus…watch this….(Reader proceeds to do push ups and or jumping jacks.) ”

Trust me. I get it. I know you’re physically alive. Stop doing jumping jacks and come back to the blog. 🙂

This is what I mean….One of the themes of Paul’s writing is the idea of death and resurrection. Specifically the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

If there was a time in your life where you turned from your sin to Jesus in repentance and faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ then the Bible tells you that you “in Christ.” And that means that you’ve died with Christ in His crucifixion and you’ve risen with Christ in His Resurrection.

“But I don’t feel like that.”, you might say.

It doesn’t make it not true. You’re feelings will lie to you. God’s Word does not. “Let God be true and every man a liar.”

So the Bible argues that if you’ve died with Christ and you’ve been resurrected with Him then it is time to begin to “set your mind” on eternal things. That is, to think like, or to gain the perspective of someone who is in Christ, who will live for a short time on earth, and will live forever in heaven. Think like someone who knows that earth is temporary and eternity is forever. Think like soemone who knows one day Christ is coming back and we will “appear with Him in glory.”

Think about it..
* Your job is temporary.
* Your bank account is temporary.
* Your stuff is temporary.
* Your life on earth will end.

But…
* Your relationship with God is eternal.
* The Word of God is eternal.
* The souls of people are eternal. Everyone lives forever somewhere.

So, today, think like that! Think about that. “Set your mind on things above”!