Excerpted from the book, Heaven, by Randy Alcorn — with some of my additional thoughts.
Day Two: Heavenly-minded and of earthly good
Colossians 3 says, "Set your heart on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things."
C.S. Lewis wrote, "It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this one." Some say, "We shouldn't think about Heaven. We should just think about Jesus." That sounds spiritual, but it's contradicted by Scripture. Colossians 3 is a direct command to set our hearts and minds on Heaven. We set our minds on Heaven because we love Jesus Christ, and Heaven is where He now resides. To long for Heaven is to long for Christ.
The Greek word translated "set your hearts on" denotes a diligent, single-minded pursuit. Keep seeking Heaven. Don't just have a conversation or read a book and feel as if you've fulfilled the command. If you're going to spend the next lifetime living in Heaven, why not spend this lifetime seeking Heaven so you can eagerly anticipate and prepare for it?
C.S. Lewis also observed: "If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next… Aim at Heaven, and you will get Earth thrown in; aim at Earth, and you will get neither."
We need a generation of Heavenly-minded people who see human beings and the Earth not simply as they are, but as God intends them to be. You may be dealing with great pain and loss, and yet Jesus says, "Be of good cheer." Why? Because the new house is nearly ready for you. Moving day is coming.
My Words
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Roy