Psalm 49; Colossians 3:1-11; Luke 12:13-21
Introduction
The world fills us with armies of distractions, temptations, sinful desires, and demonic entertainment, promising us happiness that never gets delivered without a hidden agenda. Perhaps you have been weighed down in life. Looking at the state of the world, you might have been overwhelmed by the corruption and confusion that surrounds us.
Precious one, with all the glittering distractions, including wealth, fame, possessions, and power, Children of God are called not to conform to this worldly standard. In the midst of all this, Scripture calls us who have been raised with Christ to "...set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God." (Colossians 3:1).
This is not just a Christocentric jargon, but a radical invitation to reorient our desires, priorities, and identity in the light of Christ for His perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3). Setting your heart on things above is about the mindset and the heart condition.
When your heart is set on something, it means no obstruction, confusion, or destruction wins over you except the goal of achieving what your heart is set on. Jesus had His heart on the goal, God's Kingdom set before Him to become victorious; "...who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame..." Hebrews 12:2 (HCSB)
Therefore, to set your heart on things above simply is to focus and remain focused on Christ as you shine as the light of the world.
Dallas Willard, in “The Divine Conspiracy,” says, “The most important thing in your life is not what you do; it’s who you become.” That is, what we become is shaped by where our heart is set.
Setting Your Heart on Things Above
We are admonished to focus on Heavenly things but not things on the earth (Col. 3:2). We are to refocus from earthly to Heavenly. Let's break this into simple units to guide us.
1. Put to Death Worldly and Put on Heavenly
"Therefore, put to death what belongs to your worldly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, God’s wrath comes on the disobedient, and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth."Colossians 3:5-8
Two things keep us looking back as Christians - It is either we believe we can benefit somehow from worldly things, or we actually forget about our newfound life in Christ Jesus. We are a new creation with a renewed mind and focus. We ought to put to death the old worldly ways with immediate effect. No one serves two masters equally. Whatever worldly promises do not give eternal satisfaction, but the Heavenly gives us present and eternal satisfaction.
"Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator."Colossians 3:9-10
It is the Heavenly focus that empowers the Christian to overcome. Satan promised power, authority, wealth, etc. to Christ Jesus, but for the joy of the Heavenly promise, He overcame.
Worldly life impedes our victorious living and our shining light on others. We cannot climb God's ladder to our freedom and still have a heavy log of sin tied to our waist. We only turn out to be deceivers of ourselves. Please cast the worldly out to be freed from God's wrath to remain focused.
2. Watch Out and Be on Guard
"He then told them, 'Watch out and be on guard against all greed because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.'"Luke 12:15
After putting on the new self, which is focused on Heavenly things, Jesus admonishes us to watch out on guard. Paul says, "...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Philippians 2:12
The worldly desire may shift and quake beneath our feet, but Christ is our strong tower, our lighthouse, our anchor, and our peace. Being on guard is to put on the whole armor so that the devil would not overcome us in any way. "Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil." Ephesians 6:10-11 (HCSB)
One of the best ways of being on guard is to
"Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts."Colossians 3:16 (NIV)
We cannot expect to have peace, joy, and a Christ-centered perspective if we only consume the materials of this world. When someone you love sends you a WhatsApp message, will you ignore it without reading it? Certainly not. The Bible is an essential part of our spiritual growth and helps us to set our affections on things above. Study to show yourself approved of your heart is set on things above.
3. Always Give Thanks to God
Psalm 49 reminds us that even the wealthy cannot take their riches to the grave. The psalmist writes,
"Do not be overawed when others grow rich... for they will take nothing with them when they die."(Psalm 49:16–17).
This reminds me of Luke 12, when Jesus tells the parable of the rich fool; a man who hoarded his harvest, saying to himself,
“You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”(Lk 12:19). But God said,
“You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you.”(Lk 12:20).
In our society today, many are tempted to measure success by material accumulation. A person with land, cars, and multiple buildings is seen as “blessed.” Yet, funerals of the rich often remind us that no casket has pockets. At least, Alexander the Great showed it to us.
God wants us to grow in being content with what He provides. We ought to appreciate what He does for us and not compare ourselves with the riches of worldly men. So the psalmist says,
"Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story..."(Psalms 107:1-3)
A heart of gratitude may not come easily in all situations in life. Yet, the Christian is keenly aware that every good and perfect gift comes from God. We deserved God's wrath for our rebellion, violating acts, and departing from what is true and right. However, through God's redemptive power, we are saved.
A thanksgiving heart also energizes us to do the work He has given us. It reminds us who we are and shifts our focus from our worries to God’s power to save and provide.
So, beloved in Christ Jesus, set your eyes, your heart, your mind, and your whole being on things above, run the race as you keep shining as the light of the world. Amen!
Conclusion
In sum, what does it mean to set one's heart on things above?
As children of God, we are called to re-orient our desires towards God Almighty. Do not run after fame, wealth, power, or security as your ultimate goal. Seek Christ.
Live with eternity in view. Every decision, every investment, and every ambition, run it through the filter of eternity, but never on worldly gain.
Put off the old self and put on the new self in Christ Jesus. You can’t cling to sin and expect to soar with the Spirit.
Prioritize what spiritually matters, such as quiet time in prayer and study of the Word, righteous lifestyle, service to others, and a consistent walk in integrity.
Shalom aleichem...
