Our Focus
Hello Bride of Christ,
Every other day, I begin my mornings with an early run. Nothing accompanies me but my audio bible. As I let the word of God wash over my mind and all my senses, I feel I am moving into clear focus. Foot turn-over after foot turn-over, and the trees become more vibrant, the air becomes lighter, and dreams and passions in my heart become more attainable. Focus.
When was the last time you experienced the word of God drawing you into focus?
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God,” Paul pens in Colossians 3:1. Paul begins this section of the letter of Colossians with a conditional “if” clause, drawing attention to the impact of being raised with Christ. Noting, if we are truly raised with Christ then our focus should be fixed on Christ. During this current time Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Jesus, Himself, in the sermon on the mount encouraged His disciples to do the same, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)
Here in Colossians 3:1 and Matthew 6:33 the word seek is the same Greek word: zēteō - To seek what is lost, what is due. The word implies serious effort and can be used for seeking information and to perform an action. Seeking refers to a search for something that is either lost or that is desired. It carries a sense of applied effort toward reaching a specific goal.
What is Paul encouraging the readers of his letter to strive after? What has been lost? The things above or as Jesus put it the kingdom of God. What is the kingdom of God? “For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17) The believers in Colossae and any believer who reads this letter is not to be concerned with seeking the temporal earthly things such as food and drink, but should set their mind on things above, Jesus, for He is peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Colossians 3:2).
Set your what?
Mind.
Mind here in the Greek is phroneō meaning affections. The state of your mind should be fond of God’s kingdom rather than things of this earth.
Why?
“For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God,” Paul writes. (Colossians 3: 3) Your old person has died and a new you has been born. It is the second birth Jesus spoke of with Nicodemus. “Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) This second birth produces a new person, “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind. Having understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus; that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that you put on the new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:17-24)
Bride of Christ, our focus will be renewed if we truly accept God’s gift of grace found in the person of Jesus Christ. Once we accept this gift, we begin to experience changes from deep within our soul. “IF you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind / affections / focus on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:1-3) Allow the word of God to wash over you and renew your mind to the point of focus. Stop striving and allow God to captivate your mind and all your senses with His everlasting word, for in it there is power. Through dialoguing with God, you will unlock the power of the word to judge the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Allow Him to bring you into focus.
