Last post explored two ways we’re drawn away from God: Through pride and our deceiving heart’s desires.
Sometimes, though, the reasons might not run so deep, at least at first. Sometimes, drift begins because we’re just distracted.
Not necessarily even attracted.
Of the thousand things that scream daily for our attention, some appeal to our conscience, our regret at failings, our desire not to waste our time in idle nothingness, but instead do beautiful things somehow for God. Or people seem to need us, and clamor for our attention. Or maybe it’s just noise and disorder and clutter and trivial distractions.
The trouble with all of that? It’s earthy. So it pulls our view down from heavenward to the ground. And there it often stays, all weighed down.
Meanwhile, Christ is seated above, at the right hand of God. Above, where Colossians 3 tells us to set our minds and hearts. But the distractions alone, trivial though they may be, yank us away from these blessed instructions.
What to do?
Seems to me some purposeful looking up each day in praise, for even a mere five minutes, would do a lot to remind us that life is not about earth stuff.
The earth thing, that’s just life’s preface. Our life, says Colossians, is now hidden with Christ in God. Up there beyond the blue (or gray) where we forget to look… in our distraction.
So, here are some upward thoughts, in more reasons for us to praise Him— from, you guessed it, Colossians.
Chin up! Mind up! Heart up! Things are looking up!
Because …
- In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (a repeat from past listing, so not counted here)
- Because it’s in Him that we can walk
- it’s in Him that we are established in the faith
- Because in Him, Christ, dwells all the fullness of the godhead bodily
- Because in Him we who believe were circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, the putting off of the body of sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ.
- Because, though we were dead in our trespasses, through the cross He has forgiven the trespasses of all us who are in Christ.
- Because he has disarmed principalities and powers, and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in the cross
- Because, having triumphed, He, Christ, is now seated at the right hand of God.
- Because He is the Head from Whom all the body of believers is nourished.
- … the Head from Whom all the body of believers is knit together
- … the Head from Whom all the body of believers grows.
- Because our increase is from Him.
- Because His peace can rule in our hearts if we let it.
- Because whatever we do we should (and can) do in His name/character essence.
- Because it is through Him that we can/should/do give thanks.
- Because the new person we have put on is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him (i.e., the image of God).
- Because in Christ there is no difference between Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, salve or free, but Christ is all, and in all.
- Because there is no partiality with Him.
- Because whatever we do should be done as to Him and not just to people.
- Because He is our Master in heaven.
*****
Linked to
That is my real struggle. Distraction. It is so easy for me to get caught up in schoolwork, in family, even in the craziness of releasing a CD that I’ve been going through this week, and forget to “Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” I really do need to cast my eyes upward and focus on Him. Thank you so much for this reminder, dear friend!
Speaking of getting distracted, I forgot to link to your link-up! Glad you stopped by!
I am having a bit of a struggle with others needing our attention labeled distraction, Sylvia. 2011 was my Year of Now and I was convicted of doing what was given me in the present. I had to reframe my thinking that these were interruptions and distractions, but perhaps the really living I was supposed to be doing. Do you know what I am saying here? I am not disagreeing. We are easily distracted and I love how you reinforce in me the need to look upward before I rush headlong into the earthly duties. I guess I am just qualifying (in my mind anyway) that I not mistake what is His ministry for me for the day as a distraction. Pondering….
I think of the woman with the issue of blood crawling through the crowd to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment as He was on His way to something else. He stopped and spoke to the woman about what just had happened to her. She was His ministry at that moment…
Great reasons!
When the eyes of our senses and heart are on Him the world falls into it’s proper place far below His glory. This world only points to His glory. He is the glory…
Oo, Dawn, I think I didn’t word this post well. I didn’t mean we shouldn’t *respond* to any of the things screaming for our attention. Some of them are strongly valid. But even if valid, they can make us forget God (well, me, anyhow). Even some of the clutter and noise around us are in no way our fault, and at times there’s nothing we can do to remedy them. What I see here is the need for balance, for making a way even in my busiest times to take a five-minute time-out with God. (Bathrooms can make handy “prayer closets.”)
Sometimes we(I) do jump too fast to fix everybody else’s everything. I saw this as a problem earlier in my life, married to an alcoholic. Alas, I was a classic “enabler” — till I came to see myself as having “an overinflated sense of responsibility” (taking on responsibilities that would better be left to someone else). If I had learned sooner, he may not have progressed so far and died the horrible death he died…
Rabbit trail? Maybe…
But may I reassure you: in all I know about your past year, I can’t think of anything you took on as being like that. I believe they truly were things that God put in front of you. And it also seems to me that you grew nearer to God rather than getting pulled away! (Which is what this post and the last one, or two, were really talking about.)
I think when we get near Him, spend what moments we can with Him in fellowship, that gives us better discernment about what to take on and what to leave out. And that’s another thing it seemed to me you gained in 2012.
Sorry I didn’t make myself very clear. Hope things are clearer now.
PS I also would have replied sooner, but, er… I was… distracted! (yes. sorry about that, too 😉
There you have it, Floyd! “the world falls into it’s proper place.” Wish I’d said it! Thanks.