REDIRECT YOUR FOCUS: Devotion for Friday July 29, 2016

REDIRECT YOUR FOCUS: Devotion for Friday July 29, 2016

Text: Colossians 3:1 – 4             

Memory verse: Colossians 3:2 - Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

The essence of going to learn in a school is to improve ourselves and to make us have better understanding of ourselves, and our society. If after leaving school there is no improvement in your understanding of yourself and your environment, it means your efforts in school were wasted. Likewise, when someone repents and accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, it is expected that such should have a better understanding of how best to serve God. It is on this premise that Paul started in this chapter by saying, “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your eyes on the realities of heaven …” (New Living Translation). This means that before their repentance, their focus were on worldly things. Now it shouldn’t be so. They should begin to focus on Jesus Christ who is the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2).

Because Christians had been raised from sin into life of righteousness, they had a clear responsibility to Christ, who had raised them. They must set their sights on the realities of heaven so as to avoid the distractions of the world. The Greek word for “set” means to seek something out with a desire to possess it. The believers must take their focus off the world and turn it to Christ, who sits at God’s right hand in the place of honour and power. They should concentrate on the things eternal rather than the things temporal, letting their thoughts dwell in the realm of Christ. They were to focus on the Lord Jesus. Thoughts can influence actions, so if the believers would place their thoughts above and not only here on earth, their actions would please God. Are your thoughts focused on Christ now as a Christian or you are still concerned about worldly affairs?

Food for Thought: Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8

Prayer: Lord God, redirect my focus from the things worldly to the things eternal. Help me to live  in Jesus name.