June 2, 2025

Mind on Jesus

Our church picnic was yesterday. The weather was cool and windy. The races were fun to watch, as were the children racing around trying to catch the “candyman” with a pail of goodies and chocolate bars stuck to his coveralls. The food was cold and the bathroom a good five-minute walk from our site. Today’s Scripture was a chuckle:
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. (Colossians 3:1–2)
It was not difficult to set my mind on things above yesterday. I wanted to go home and read my Bible — or was that setting my mind on getting warmed up? Piper’s devotional says this about summer: “flight from (Jesus) into Christ-less leisure makes the soul parched. At first it may feel like freedom and fun to skimp on prayer and neglect the Word, but then we pay: shallowness, powerlessness, vulnerability to sin, preoccupation with trifles, superficial relationships, and a frightening loss of interest in worship and the things of the Spirit.”

I didn’t want to flee Jesus and enjoy summer yesterday but a warning is good. Summer holds much that we miss in the dead of winter. I planted garden seeds last week and bedding plants, visited my next-door neighbor for two hours, and loafed more than usual. However, God has a way of reminding me of important things. One of our friends is having serious surgery today. His wife is worried sick. I’d prayed a bit, but when opening a search engine this morning, the photo on it was a place where these two had lived most of their early lives. God reminded me to pray fervently because our friend is in surgery right now.

Not only that, Piper reminds me that seeking things above means equating the delights of summer with the age to come. While God says, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9) He wants me to focus on what I do know. We have perfections here, some days, yet not one “sun-soaked, tree-green, flower-blooming, lake-glistening” day of summer can compare with being with Jesus in a perfect environment with: 
“. . . .  the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 22:1–5)
The short descriptions of that eternal place describe no more sorrow or tears. If our friend survives this surgery, he will be glad, yet if Jesus takes him home, his joy and delight cannot be described — only that one day we will be together in that indescribable place. In the meantime, we are to focus on the One who is there, and who takes care of all things here. Summer is a small glimpse, no doubt totally inadequate to show us our future hope. 

Even so, the tall trees, the thick undergrowth, blue sky and especially the camaraderie of our Christian family make it easier to think of the perfection that is promised. 

PRAY: Thank You Jesus for reminding me to pray for our friend and for many things that cry for Your attention in this world. It is not heaven here, nor heaven yet, but You do hear and answer prayer. You make thoughts of things above easier and far more important than taking a ‘time out’ from eternal matters. For that, I am grateful.  



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