Daily Devotional: Day 221
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind 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, NKJV).
Today’s Scripture reading is one of the richest passages in the writings of Paul. Writing to Christians in Colossae, he reminds them of their new creation status in Christ. Whoever is a new creation has died with Christ and is risen with Him. Being risen with Christ is a powerful reality. It literally means that the resurrection power at work in Christ is at work in you, too.
Based on this truth, Paul draws out practical implications for the believer. If you are risen with Christ, then henceforth you need to adjust your life accordingly. Especially, you need to turn your affections toward heaven where the risen Lord is seated.
Wherever Christ is, there your life is. Your life, Paul says, is hidden with Christ in God. This means there is only one way to find your life: by finding Christ. Do you see where this is going? It’s deep stuff, but the Holy Spirit will help you to grasp it. To find Christ, you need to shift your attention toward Him and maintain your focus on Him. Here is where meditation is vital.
Meditation directs your heart and mind to Jesus. To meditate, you need an object of focus. In this case, that object of focus is Christ. Therefore, Paul urges us to shift our mind from earthly desires (mainly lusts of the world which draw us away from God) and set it on things above, where Christ is seated in power. You, dear Christian, are from above; hence your desires must be oriented above.
Where your life is, there your attention needs to be.
Jesus Himself laid out an important principle in the Gospels, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Luke 12:34). In this instance, Jesus is your treasure, and your life is hidden with Him. If you truly believe this, then you will set you heart on Him – through meditation.
Meditating means to dwell thoughtfully – in a relaxed manner – on a subject matter, a message, a person or an event, in quietness. In meditation, you take a calm, yet hard look at the state of your life and your relationship with God and everything around you.
Meditation is a form of prayer which mostly involves pondering, internalizing, questioning and listening. You can meditate on any number of things. One thing you can do is focus on a particular passage, story, event or personality in the Bible as the Spirit leads you. Be open minded and relaxed. No need to stress yourself or be rigid.
Lack of meditation leads to spiritual stagnation.
But when you meditate, the Spirit of God will move you, open your eyes and lead you to discover the riches of Christ. This discovery will change you. Rightly does the Psalmist declare, “I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation” (Psalm 119:99). Additionally, meditation will help you to discover more about yourself. The more you understand Christ, the more you will understand yourself. Conversely, the less you understand Christ, the less you will understand yourself.
Start meditating today. Find Christ, find your life. Amen.
For further study: Joshua 1:1-9
Higher-Self Realities 