Reality CheckShembull

 One of my favourite books is Pilgrims Progress, by John Bunyan. The story is full of beautifully illustrated word pictures that take you on an adventure with “Christian,” as he travels to the Celestial City. At one point in the story, Bunyan describes someone as “a man who could look no way but downwards, with a muck-rake in his hand.” The story continues with, “There stood also One over his head, with a celestial crown in his hand, and proffered to give him that crown for his muckrake; but the man did neither look up nor regard, but raked to himself the straws, the small sticks, and the dust of the floor.” 

How often in life are we like this man—head down, nose to the grindstone, lost in the trials, circumstances and distractions of this life? How many times do we find ourselves consumed with chasing the desires of our hearts or feeling overwhelmed because of the load we have tried to carry?

In Colossians 3:1-2, Paul charges us to set our minds on things above, to be Kingdom minded, and not be consumed by the things of this world. He tells us to LOOK UP—fix our gaze on the One who has raised us from the muck of our transgressions, and gifted us an eternal hope, through our Lord Jesus Christ. The world may shift and move beneath our feet, but Jesus Christ, our Refuge, will keep us in perfect peace as we center our hearts and minds on Him and trust that He is our Sovereign King, with authority overall. Matthew 24:35 tells us that all the things of earth will pass away, but our Lord will reign forever.  

Today, and every day, let us look up and truly fix our gaze on Jesus, our Hope and our Redeemer.  

As a response to this encouragement, take time today to slow down and think about every thought you have. Ask yourself if the thought is placing your heart and mind on things beyond this earth, onto Jesus and "things above."