Sisters, we have had a good question from one of our bloggers and from some others regarding what “setting our minds on things above – on heaven” actually means. The phrase makes it sound as if heaven is all we are to be thinking about all day, doesn’t it? So, what does it really imply? Have you ever heard the abbreviation A.L.I.V.E. - always live in view of eternity? I believe this tells us what a mind set on heaven looks like. It is a life that is daily motivated by thoughts of two places: #1 – life on this earth… it is short – the Bible refers to it as a vapor; #2 – life in heaven…it is forever…lived with our God and our Redeemer forever in an incredible place free from sin and its affects.
Each day we have the choice: Will I make choices today that will be investments in eternity, or will I choose things that will instead be burned up (I Corinthians 3:10-15)? Will I choose attitudes, responses, things, activities, thoughts, words, ambitions that will have eternal benefit or will I choose those things that reflect a temporary/earthly mindset (and sometimes a self-absorbed/self-gratifying mindset!)? Matthew 6:20 says, “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
Randy Alcorn put it this way: “What will last for eternity? Not your car, house, degrees, trophies, or business. What will last forever is every service to the needy…every investment in missions, every prayer for the needy… every moment spent caring for precious children – including rocking them to sleep and changing their diapers. The Bible says we’ll reap in eternity what we’ve planted in this life.”
Let’s make Randy’s list even more personal…How about every word of encouragement to our husbands, every meal prepared, every shirt laundered and every toilet scrubbed out of love for our families, and out of love and honor to the Lord? How about every meal taken to your widowed neighbor, every card sent to that hurting person, every act of patience with that difficult person, every offense overlooked for the sake of love, every phone call made to lift the spirits of the lonesome, every minute spent in the Word learning more about our gracious Lord. The list of things that have eternal value is in itself endless because those things that we do for the good of others and for God’s glory is “laying up treasures in heaven.”
So change that diaper with love, wash those dishes with a smile, put the groceries away with thanksgiving, give medical care to that elderly patient with gentleness, show you care to even the unruly student, pray for that person you find hard to love…Make the choice by the power of the Holy Spirit to set your mind on things above, and store up for yourself treasures in heaven…as Randy says, “it will pay off in eternity and bring joy and perspective now.”
Love .... Becky
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