Think Higher

Ah, September is a month that we look forward to as things begin again. Summer’s end brings back where we left off in the Spring. And so, our dedicated group is back to Precept Bible study for a season in the fine book of Colossians, where Paul pens a portrait of the heavenly minded. Set your mind on the things above and not on the things of earth ~ Chapter 3, verse 2.

Think higher.

Our minds are meant to be set on something.  We all live out of a story.  And right now my head is stuffed to capacity because like many of you, I have a lot going on.  It can be hard to think heavenly with the things of earth in our face 24/7.  So we have to make a deliberate choice to go higher. Yesterday turned Fall, so I’m thinking apples and pumpkin spice. But if I shift my mind in high gear, I can see deeper to the brilliance of autumn as a masterpiece and therefore ~ praise the Artist.

It reminds me of that sweet praise song, turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.  I love the apostle Paul, he could sing those words and mean it – this is a guy who was chained in prison and could still see heaven-ward.  Because setting our affection on Jesus breaks the chains. Our minds are most full of heaven when we are most filled with Christ.  It’s a holy balance.

So how can we and why should we look to the things above?  Well, where else is there to look to dwell steady? 

Corrie ten Boom once said, “ Look around and be distressed. Look inside and be depressed. Look at Jesus and be at rest.”  And she walked it.

Ever know someone who is so heavenly minded they are no earthly good?  They are so super spiritual they remove themselves from the world, and what good is that?  It’s one of the questions I take out on a walk with me into a cornfield. A simple way to look up and think higher is to just be grateful.  When I’m standing in the field (the perfect prayer closet) I can see as far as I can.  I can hear stillness.  I can smell an organic earth and praise the Maker. It’s all there.

May we rest our head in the Scriptures to rehearse the values of heaven where Paul describes the “above” culture.  It happens when we die to the old and clothe in the new, and put on a heart of compassion, kindness , humility, gentleness and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving whoever has a complaint  . . . just as Jesus has forgiven us. Colossians 3:12

And so, to do that, we have to think higher – much higher!