SEP 23

Colossians 3:1-3
Memorise Matthew 6:19
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”

When I visited the blogs of some young people, I often see wish lists where they enumerate things that they would like to have or do. Some items would have been crossed out, while others would still be pending. Items on the list would range from having one of the latest game consoles or gadgets, taking a holiday to a certain country, having a particular brand of clothing, bag or shoes, or maybe to attain a certain scholastic or sporting achievement. Whilst it is not wrong to make such lists, it can very quickly become covetousness on our part. Thus these teens are not ashamed of announcing their materialism and covetousness to the whole world.

As Christians, this ought not to be. Whilst we are in the world, we cannot allow ourselves to be seduced by their materialistic thinking. The people of the world may make such lists and pour all their energy into fulfilling them. However as children of God, we have a different focus in life. Having been born again, the things that we seek for in life are to be completely different from that which the world seeks. For them they have no hope beyond this life, and therefore they find fulfilment through the things that they have, and the achievements that they can accomplish. For us, Paul tells us in Colossians 3:1-2 that “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth”. Thus instead of focusing our attention on the things of the earth, of things that would satisfy our carnal lusts, we ought to seek for heavenly things. After all, we know that heaven would be our eternal home, and treasures that we store there would last forever.

So in order for us to be pure in this materialistic society, what is needed is a complete shift of our values, our focus, and our motivations. We ought not to be driven by a desire to gratify the flesh in this life, but we must have a more long sighted look at things. We must realise that we are risen with Christ, and have hope towards heaven. Our priorities must no longer be about the world, but of eternal life. Therefore the only right motivation we can have in doing anything at all in this life, is God. It is for Him that we live, and for His glory that we do anything and everything.

Thought: Being saved means having a paradigm shift in my desires.
Prayer: Lord, help me to truly seek after Thee and the things of heaven.