Look Up

Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on the earth, .Col.3:9,10

Paul writes to the Colossian Church to encourage them in the new life they have inherited since becoming believers. Old self-centered habits are listed for throwing away and thoughts are directed to heavenly things.

This describes the tension in my life, the battle between my old self and the new, between the world's seductions and the call of heaven. Lust and greed, malice and bad language are all things that won't go away. I have to be vigilant to stop them creeping back into my life.

There's good news here as well. There is the promise of progress, that my new self will grow more like God the more I do battle. And this has been my experience, especially when I pray more, read scripture more, embrace the sacraments more. These good habits do the stripping off, the killing my old self.

Thank you Jesus that you have given the Church to help me in my stripping away process. Help me have my gaze lifted up and not down today.