Set Your Heart on Things Above

“Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

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.”

Paul is instructing the members of the church at Colosse on how to think. Don’t be conformed to the world, he says, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds. Release your old earth-bound perspective to become heavenly in your thinking. You are not any longer a native of this planet who thinks of heavenly things. You are a heavenly resident who is temporarily on the earth. Dream in the language from which you came and not your adopted tongue.

The old person has died and passed away. Now you are a new creature.

The old way of being, the way of earth-bound people, is to prescribe in earthly terms, based on human descriptions and human concepts. But you’re different now. Change your focus. Turn your gaze higher. Move your attention and your thinking and your dreaming and your being to heaven.

Paul often spoke about the prize. He kept his eye on the prize for which he was being drawn heavenward. Here he tells the church to do the same. Look at what you’re going to and stop using your old ways to guide your new life.

It’s radical, outside-the-box thinking. If I strip off all that is of this world, and focus on Christ and all that is in the heavenly realm, I don’t have to prescribe my behavior. It follows my vision.

There’s a rule taught in advanced motorcycle riding skills courses – when you are riding around a curve look past the first part of the curve into the rest of the curve, because where you look there you will go. It’s difficult to look past the immediate to the future. The immediate can seem to fill the field of vision. But beyond it is the destination. It is where God wants you to be. It is where Christ is. And it is the life that is worth living.

Where you look there you will go.