Colossians 3:1-4
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 will also appear with Him in glory.
2 Corinthians 10:5
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Devotion
This week, we have seen how Simeon and Anna were able to shift the focus of their lives onto God’s promises. They were able to set aside the cares and concerns of the world they lived in and focus on that which is eternal. The Apostle Paul instructs us to “set your hearts on things above…set your minds on things above.” In our culture, this is not an easy thing to do. So many things are screaming out for our attention. Some of these things might even be good things. So, what is Paul really saying here?
Like Simeon and Anna, we must develop our intimacy with Christ so that we are able to live here on this earth with eternity in view. There are good things in our lives that command our attention and focus. The key is to see all things through the lens of God’s eternal purpose. As James wrote, “You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” Our time here on earth is so very small compared to eternity. Yet, we focus so much on the temporal and lose sight of the eternal.
So how do we reclaim the true meaning of Christmas? We must fix or set our minds on things above. We must strive to live our lives with eternity in view. This Christmas, I want to challenge you to celebrate the birth of Christ with His second advent in view. Focus on His promise of coming back and spending eternity with Him. Let’s shift our attention away from the busyness of the season and allow Christ to reign supreme in our lives.
Questions to Ponder
What occupies the majority of your thought life? How much time do you spend thinking about eternity and Christ’s second advent? How do you take captive every thought? How does it make you feel to know that you were created for eternity? How are you going to keep Christ in focus this Christmas season?
Spend some time in prayer meditating on what God revealed to you today.