Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3
“One does not become holy all at once…Since by His mercy He gives us still a little time, let us begin in earnest, let us repair the lost time, let us return with a full assurance to that Father of mercies, who is always ready to receive us affectionately. Let us renounce, let us generously renounce, for the love of Him, all that is not Himself; He deserves infinitely more. Let us think of Him perpetually. Let us put all our trust in Him: I doubt not but we shall soon find the effects of it, in receiving the abundance of His grace, with which we can do all things, and without which we can do nothing but sin.
We cannot escape the dangers which abound in life, without the actual and continual help of God; let us then pray to Him for it continually. How can we pray to Him without being with Him? How can we be with Him but in thinking of Him often? And how can we often think of Him, but by a holy habit which we should form of it? You will tell me that I am always saying the same thing: it is true, for this is the best and easiest method I know; and as I use no other, I advise all the world to it. We must know before we can love. In order to know God, we must often think of Him; and when we come to love Him, we shall then also think of Him often, for our heart will be with our treasure.”
Brother Lawrence (c. 1614-1691) in The Practice of the Presence of God: The Best Rule of Holy Life (Grand Rapids: CCEL) 26.
What do you think about?
Brother Lawrence reminds us to think about God continually. The danger about not doing this, and he’s right about it, is that thinking about earthly things causes us to treasure earthly things, and that’s where we get into trouble. We must generously renounce them.
What does that mean?
Apostle Paul urges us to see ourselves as dead. Think about it. We can’t be drawn to something if we are dead. Our lives are hid with Christ in God, and since we are raised with Christ our thoughts need to be about Christ. Don’t just begin every day focused on Christ, think about him continually.
I am taking a week away to reset. I am flying to Florida to join my wife who went on ahead of me to stay with my brother and his wife and visit my parents, in part, to celebrate my mom’s 80th birthday. For the week to reset, I am praying a Psalm on the seven divine hours. I am excited to do this with a friend.
Reply if you want to join us. I’ll share the specifics.
And generously renouncing all that is not Him is to describe the world’s messages for what they are: lies. Few do this better than my friend and fellow author, Roger Lam. Everywhere he goes he alerts people to the deceitfulness of wealth. Want to hear Roger and I speak with other colleagues at an upcoming free online event?
Join us for Hope and Help in Times of Crisis on 7 August 2020 from 7-8:15pm Hong Kong Time. It’s a free webinar. We will consider together how Christians and churches can offer hope and help in challenging situations like we find ourselves in today.