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. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Col. 3:1-4
Dear Lord Jesus, as someone born with a flawed sense of direction and a broken internal compass, I praise you for modern technology—especially for a phone with a GSP built in. Though not perfectly, that little digital voice usually gets me where I want to go.
But with much more confidence and far greater gratitude, born out of a much deeper need, I praise you this morning for the gift of the Bible—the means by which your voice directs my wandering heart to its true destination—which is you, Lord Jesus. You are my destination and delight, my GPS and my heart’s home, where I want to go and the only means of getting there. I reset my attention and affection on you this morning. May this be the constant theme of this whole new year. May your voice be loud and clear—may it drown out every other voice seeking to direct my life.
This is what I know to be true. Already my life is safely hidden in you, for God has placed me in union with you, Lord Jesus. I’m covered with your righteousness—completely forgiven and acceptable to God, and passionately loved by him. By God’s grace, your death is considered to be mine. When you died on the cross, God punished you for all my sins. When you were raised from the dead, I was raised with you and was given a whole new life and story. There is no way to measure the value of this rich standing in grace.
Speaking of destinations, I’m destined to become as lovely and as loving as you, and to reign with your whole bride in the new heaven and new earth. This boggles my mind and over-thrills my heart. There’s no other story I’d rather be in—and yet, until the day you return, I’ll be challenged and tempted to think otherwise. As you have won my eternity, win each and every day.
For no one and nothing else is worthy of my heart’s adoration, affection, and allegiance—only you, Jesus. I set my heart on you in this moment as my ultimate good—not on my reputation, my children, my marriage, my stuff, my job; not on my desire to get even, to get out, to be liked, to be happy, to be in control, to be safe. You are not the means to any other end but yourself, to which I shout, Hallelujah!
Lord Jesus, you’ve done everything for me, and now I trust you to do anything in me and through me that will bring you glory. So very Amen I pray, in your wonderful and worthy name.
