Set!

Set!

And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth. Colossians 3:2 AMPC

The Inspiration:

The issue of focus is a big deal. Many have begun a project very well, but fell apart at a stage where things became difficult. Many also had a poor start but found some very interesting motivation to push through to achieve whatever they set out to achieve. At the heart of everything worth mentioning today is someone or a group of people who shut out the noise, the comments, the looks and the attitude and simply focused on the job at hand. It is also noteworthy that anything that is of value and long-lasting impact must face opposition or resistance. Would it be a good reason to give up simply because someone or something is standing in my way? If this is true of everything we see and celebrate today, imagine the power of its equivalent in the spiritual. If men who do not even acknowledge God can achieve great things, how much more we who understand the power of the eternal.

The Contention:

Paul writes to the church in Colosse, specifically speaking to men who have been raised with Christ. It is about the evidence of my standing; something that proves who I am and therefore underpins what I do and how I do it. If all I am concerned with is how to rule the earth, I may achieve it, but at the end of it all, what else is the gain? If men down here on earth applaud and celebrate my achievements and Heaven has no record of my citizenship, have I really gained much? The world may remember all I have done, and it may reward me immensely, and that is quite fine; afterall, God has made an undertaking to provide ALL that I need for life and Godliness. This tells me that God's plan for impact does not affect only this earthly phase, but all of life, which includes the spiritual. That is the balance I need to have, as I seek to impact the earth that God has placed me in. Can I say that I am fulfilling God's plan for me?

The Conclusion:

Forget other people's views for a moment and make it personal. The decision to set your mind on what is above is personal. Nobody can do it on your behalf; it flows from an understanding of what is at stake. If my mind is on things above, I will prepare for eternity in a different way from someone who has no idea of eternity. Make the best use of all that the earth provides; in fact, it is my earthly responsibility to take care of all that is on earth. I do that with utmost care and caution, so that I do not lose my eternal reward. There is nothing this earth can give one that can be an effective substitute for eternal life with God. Jesus asked his disciples then, and he asks all of us now: "What would it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?" I must set my mind right, and then keep it there, to the exclusion of any other thing or person. God does not share his praise with anything else, but He will abundantly reward all who focus on Him to the end. Would you? God's time of favour is here.