Keep your head up

"Therefore if you have been raised up in Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:1-2, New American Standard Bible).

In a holiday rush, with flash sales, traffic, and other things asking for our attention, it can be easy to take our eyes off the Lord and begin to focus on other things more. In the verse above, we are called to set our hearts and minds on God.

How? One way to remember Him is to thank Him for who He is in the past, present, and future:

• Past - His Son's life that set a great example for us as well as His sacrifice for all mankind, and how we are offered forgiveness (Ephesians 2:1-7). This forgiveness we can receive as a free gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9). 
• Present - His Word and how He can renew believers' minds through the Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16-17, Romans 12:1-2). 
• Future - His faithfulness to carry out His holy purposes and promises (Numbers 23:19, Jeremiah 1:12, 2 Peter 1:1-8).

This reminded me of Peter's story, when Jesus asked Him to walk on water. You can read more of his story here. Lecrae refers to Peter's story in his song, "Walking on Water:"

"Let me show you my Supply, yeah you need to know Him

He got me walkin' on the water when the wind's blowin' 

And when the storm's brewin', and when the tide's high

That's when I lean into the truth that I abide by."

God Father, thank You for sending Jesus to free us and for inviting us into a repaired relationship with You. Help us remember and share who You are. Help us keep our focus on You. Amen.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Photo by Mike Specian from http://www.pha.jhu.edu/~mspecian. He has another website, http://www.mikespecian.com/.
You can hear the full song "Walking on Water" on YouTube here.