Things Above
Today’s Verse:
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. ~Colossians 3:1-2
Most people I know want to succeed at what they do. They do not want to fail in their job, their marriage, raising their children, or becoming financially independent. They want to be remembered as someone who did well at what they were given. The same can be said about the Christian life. It should be our sincere desire to succeed at living the Christian life. Our Scripture this morning exhorts us about how to succeed at the Christian life. It gives a simple but powerful means by which we can stay focused and fruitful in living for the Lord.
There is the principle of ambition.
Ambition is the desire to succeed at something. Ambition is the fuel that drives a person to finish a task and to finish it well. Ambition channeled towards the right cause and motive is something that makes a great contribution. Ambition is what enabled Paul to spread the gospel to many of the major cities of his day. Ambition is the driver that gets things done. Without ambition, progress and achievement do not occur. For every Christian, we are to be driven with the ambition to live in the power of a resurrected life. Paul said, “If ye then be risen with Christ....” When we get saved, and then baptized, it is expected that we live in the power of a life controlled by the Lord Jesus.
There is the performance in ambition.
“Seek those things which are above…. Set your affection on things above.” For every Christian, our ambition is seen from a higher altitude and position. We are not to be earthly minded, that is, focused on things that are temporal, faddish, or foolish. Rather, our sight is to be on things above. This means we are to live from an eternal perspective. We are looking to Jesus, Who is the Author and Finisher of our faith. We need to get our eyes off of the many distractions, wrong counsel, and wrong thoughts. In place of these things, we are to seek heavenly things. We are to take the high road in our people relationships. We are to accept the Word of God as our final authority in all matters of faith and practice. We are to walk by faith and not by sight. We are to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. When we seek those things which are above, we approach everything with the attitude, "How does this glorify God?"
There is the product in ambition.
When our desire is to seek those things which are above, we live a victorious life. Our life is saturated with God’s Word (Colossians 3:16). Our relationships with other people are in harmony and love. We have victory over unrestrained desires and appetites. We are under the power of a Spirit-controlled life and not anger, bitterness, envy, jealousy, unkindness, or unforgiveness. Each step we take is clearly illuminated for us as we walk in faith. Our gospel witness has liberty, and people come to know Jesus as Savior.
Ambition is a good thing when we seek those things which are above. It gives us an inspired vision for our life. It keeps us from being distracted by the sins and weights that can easily beset us. It can keep us from falling out of fellowship with the Lord. It enables us to finish our race as victors and not as losers.
What kind of ambition is fueling your life? Is your affection more on things that are temporal than things that are eternal? Lift up your eyes, and seek those things which are above!
Have a spiritually-ambitious God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Psalms 106-107