Dial In Your Mind

When I set my television set to channel 13, I have fixed my attention on the programming from that channel. When I set my radio to the 105.3 frequency, I have fixed my hearing to that station’s music and news. When I set my thermostat, I maintain the room temperature at 70 degrees. When I set my cruise control on 62, the car travels that speed, regardless of the terrain under me (and the vehicles in front of me!!!).

When I set my eyes and attention on obtaining a goal, completing a project, or attaining an accomplishment, my energy and efforts are devoted to that end. That purpose or goal controls my choices and decisions, because I have previously made the choice to focus my energies in that direction. My mind is devoted to channel 13 and misses what is on the other channels because I’ve chosen, I’ve predetermined, what I will watch. My mind determines how I react to my environment, and helps me maintain an even keel no matter what is going on outside.

So, when Paul commands us in Colossians to set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things…we understand that God is calling us to choose to dial into Jesus, to focus our attentions, motivations, energies, efforts, on Him. He becomes the programming of our mind. He becomes the music and news for our day. He determines the direction and speed of our lives, regardless of the terrain or obstacles. With Him as the focus of our attention, we become thankful, peaceful, pure, and humble, like Him. When we are set on Jesus, He gives us the ability to rejoice no matter the storms around us. With Jesus as the focus of our attention, we respond to His commands, example, and warnings. When we dial into Jesus, into heaven, we will be so focused on Him that we will miss some other programming in life, but will never feel deprived…because we have died, and our life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, appears, then we also will appear with Him in glory.

When it says ”You died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God,” it means that we have previously chosen to dial into Jesus. Our choice has been made. Our problem is that we are too often like an FM station that tends to drift off the frequency. Someone bumps us and we find ourselves jiggled over to a focus on our problems and pain instead of the answer to our pain, Jesus. Someone grabs our remote, and begins channel-surfing, and we flit from pleasing others to pleasing self.

And so, we take the remote in hand, and choose to re-set our mind on Jesus, on heaven!