“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Col. 3:2)
The cares of this world will at times override your affections for those things above, but I ask you this question today, do you rush through the things of this world so you can spend time with the Lord, or do you hurry through the words of truth and your time with Him so that you can get back to the world?
When was the last time you can remember not looking at your watch while you sat in church on Sunday morning? When was the last time you wished the sermon would go on for hours? Where truly my friends are your affections? As you are reading the Scriptures, are you thinking about those things that must be done today, those projects you have planned for tomorrow, as you are performing those earthly so-called “needed” things are you contemplating Christ?
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matt. 6:21)
We all understand that our minds will wander, that being transformed by the renewing of our minds is a continuous journey, but unless you understand what is truly important, I believe I can guarantee you what will become important to you, and if you do not realize that all those projects you have planned are nothing more than fuel for the final fire, they will ensnare you, and your true priorities will be placed off to the side.
That is after all what this short letter to you is about, priorities, where we place the highest order compared to the lowest.
My lovely wife and I have several small projects and a few larger ones planned for this summer and they are very time consuming, and will make for some very long days indeed, but we still have our priorities set. Three times a day, morning, mealtime, and evening she reads, and we discuss short devotional studies, ten to twelve times a week I make myself available, as best as I know how to phrase it, to the Lord to write these letters to you, and although they are not always to the caliber I would prefer, every Thursday evening a video is placed on YouTube. We do not have the time to do these things, but we make the time.
That is how one must set their priorities my friends, something of a lesser value must be set aside for the greater, eternal one.
If you are serving Christ for the glory of God joyfully, you understand what has been written here today, even mealtimes and sleep get in the way of that service to Him. “But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:42) We all live the life of both Mary and Martha continuously when we are serving Christ, like Mary we do not want to leave His side, like Martha the obligations, so to speak, of the world can become quite frustrating, but they also must be accomplished.
There is a day of rest coming for us, not laziness, for we will still grow, but the burdens of those “earthly needs” will all be gone.
Do what has to be done, but do not let the projects consume you, keep your thoughts on the Scriptures, on Christ, think of Him in that carpenter shop, His mind was not consumed with that chair or table He was making, but on the Father. All else is secondary, not always unprofitable, but never as profitable as a mind stayed on the Lord.
