Where Have Your Thoughts Been?

Colossians 3:1-4

There is a saying that “you are what you eat” which, for the most part, is probably true.  The same could be said that we are what we think. The path that our thoughts continually go on soon mould and make us the people that we become.  Where have your thoughts been lately? Do they linger on the television show you just watched, or the gossip you heard from your friends at lunch? Or are our thoughts dwelling on things of the Lord and what is valuable to His Kingdom? This is the topic that the Apostle Paul speaks about in today’s passage from his letter to the Colossians.

Paul begins this chapter by telling us that, as believers, heaven’s priorities should become our priority (vs. 1).  Everything on earth, all of the worldly things we involve ourselves in, are temporary. The things of heaven, though, are eternal.  Jobs come and go. Houses, cars, clothes, and other belongings get old and start to fall apart. Everything in heaven, however, lasts forever. Because we are united with Christ, we have spiritually entered His death and resurrection the moment we were saved. We are now alive in Him. The resurrection is not just something that happened in the past.  It affects all believers today. Because of the power His resurrection has on our life, we can set our hearts on things above and let go of things on earth.

The more we focus on Jesus, the more we will become like Him (vs. 2).  As our thoughts become more dominated by Jesus, He will slowly change us to be more like Him.  One way is to look at life from God’s perspective, and seek what He desires. As Christians, our thoughts should be on what honors the Lord.  Paul gives us a pattern to keep our minds set on in Philippians 4:8-9. God has a goal to transform us into the likeness of His Son, Jesus (Romans 12:2).  This all begins in our minds. Our whole character should be pointing towards heaven, just as a compass points north.

When we focus our attention on God, we are able to praise Him despite any circumstances, just like Paul and Silas did while they were put in jail for preaching the Gospel (Acts 16:19-36).  Look what happened then! God sent an earthquake to deliver them!

In verse 3, Paul states that as believers the person that we were before should be dead.  Our citizenship was transferred out of Satan’s kingdom, and into God’s. We should have as little interest in the things of this world system as a dead person does.

Paul states that our life is hidden with Christ in God (vs. 3).  The word “hidden” implies that we are concealed and safe with God. When we want to keep something safe from a thief, we find a nice hiding place where the item can’t be found.  God has hidden us safe in Himself. Satan cannot steal us away from Him, or harm us. We are safe with God. As Jesus said in John 10:28-29, we are safe in His hands, and no one can pluck us out.

When Christ returns to earth to rule, believers will be revealed as His people (vs. 4).  We can now fix our hope on His promise that we will be with Him in glory forever. And because of this, our sights and concerns should be set firmly with the things of eternity.

In conclusion, our relationship with Jesus should be noticeable by our words. As the Scriptures have shown us, our words are affected by our thoughts. Claim the power of the risen Savior every day!