"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21 ESV)
What is the focus of your life? Take just a few seconds and think about it before you go on reading. Maybe the following questions will help you decide.
Who or what do you wake up thinking about in the morning? What do talk about around the dinner table? What’s on your mind as you drift to sleep at night?
Where is your heart? Where is your mind? If you are a Christian, you know where Jesus expects it to be.
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:1-3 ESV)
We all have a limited amount of time and energy to spend, so where we spend what we have says everything about our priorities. Where are you exerting your energy? Where are you spending that emotional capital? Are you living a life with your mind set on Heaven, or on earth?
You might have your mind set on earth if:
You can’t put down the latest novel or magazine you are reading, but you also can’t pick up your Bible.
You can quote sports statistics and players’ names, but don’t know scripture or Bible personalities.
You have to use the “Table of Contents” in your Bible, even after having been a Christian for years.
Your “old” Bible won’t lay flat when it is opened.
You can’t remember the last time you REALLY invited someone to church services; I mean REALLY were adamant that they visit. You asked two or three times.
You have no problem arriving at work on time, but are perpetually late for worship service.
You always leave church services early, or as soon as you can, and rush off to... where?
You are too busy to participate in the activities of the congregation you attend.
You encourage your children to make good grades to get into college, but never encourage them to study and learn to teach God’s word.
You spend more time critiquing the preacher or Bible class teacher’s delivery or points you don’t agree with than you do critiquing your life in comparison to the lesson he presented.
You watch the clock during worship services.
You refer to the congregation you attend as “they” or “them.”
You spend more on lunch after worship on Sunday than you put into the collection plate only an hour or so before.
You are perfectly satisfied being less faithful than some people, but more faithful than others.
You feel a bit uncomfortable after reading this list.
If the last point is true for you, I want you to know that I’m not writing just to criticize you. I’m not telling you that you are a bad person, and that you do nothing right. I’m not even suggesting that you don’t serve God at all. I’m sure you do some good things.
All I’m trying to do is wake you up to the possibility that your spiritual life might be suffering because you have your priorities out of line. I’m also writing because it’s possible your priorities are so out of order that you don’t even realize that your spiritual life is suffering.
Take this list and think about it. You might even add some things of your own. Then read this next line out loud to yourself:
“Am I focusing on making a life here on earth, or making a life in Heaven with God for eternity?”
Do you like the answer? If not, will you do something about it today?
- Daniel
I used these thoughts in my sermon this morning, and gave your blog a shout out. I hope it will give you a few hits this week!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I really appreciate you reading, and I'm glad you found something useful!
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