Experiencing God's Presence #310

Experiencing God's Presence #310

Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

Colossians 3:2

The things of earth get right in our face and speak to us relentlessly. We have things to pay for, plans to arrange, people to please, and responsibilities to deal with—all of which make our to-do lists long and our bodies and souls tired. There’s no way to avoid the things of earth—we do actually live here, after all—but we can’t be totally preoccupied with them. They drain us of energy and resources if we are.

What does it mean to think about the things of heaven? It means knowing heaven’s agenda: God’s purposes and His ways. It means seeking visions of Him and His plans. It means living with heaven’s values: a Kingdom culture of integrity, honor, purity, peace, generosity, and blessing. We understand that heaven is filled with radical worship right this moment, and we join in the praises. We learn to treat other people as eternal beings, even if we aren’t sure of their eternal destiny—to see the treasure God has put in them rather than the junk that comes to the surface now. And we need to know that we are surrounded by spiritual beings: angels that minister to us and deceptive spirits that try to seduce us. Heaven’s realities are described in Scripture, and we are fully encouraged to let them become the realities in which we live and move and breathe.

Whatever is happening visibly in your world today is only a fraction of your true life. The rest of the story—the most important parts of it—are invisible to your physical eyes. But they aren’t invisible to your spirit or your thought life. Choose where to dwell, and fill your mind with the reality of heaven. Live out its culture, its values, its relationships, and its activities.

Spirit of God, fill my mind with heavenly thoughts. Let me see what’s truly real and really true. Help me live out my citizenship as an influencer in Your Kingdom.