Season of Prayer and Meditaion Entry 5

Today was an intensely distracted day. The to do list too doo long. The values struggling for first place. The prayer and meditation squeezed. My spirit and my mind struggling to feel freshened. My psyche attacked by doubts and discouragement. So I turn to God's word. One of the passages I have been studying for this upcoming Sunday's message begins to speak to me.

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. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-3)

This passage, central to the book of Colossians is so inter-related to its context, it is nearly impossible to limit the scope of meditation. For the sake of this entry, I have done so.

... you have been raised with Christ... Christ, the messiah. My messiah. My savior. My Jesus. Jesus. Our Jesus. Our savior. Our messiah. Your Jesus. How I need a messiah. A redeemer who will renew me, my life, my existence, my family, my mind. How I need a messiah. Christ: not a one time story or a messiah with only political agendas. God with me - Christ Jesus.

Jesus be with me now. My heart is worn as is my mind and my body. Be with me now and help me be fully with you as I seem to want to wander back into the too doo list instead of this connection. Jesus... thank you for redeeming me and continuing to do so as I continue to give you cause. Thank you for being a messiah who does not give up or wear out or leave or retreat in self-protection or pull back for lack of passion or withdraw for having been failed so repeatedly. Thank you Jesus. My Jesus. Be Christ to all who desperately need you as I do this evening.

RAISED... I just don't feel raised right now. He was dead and raised. What's my problem. I'm just tired and stressed. Why can't I be raised. Am I not willing to be raised. I want that sense of being raised. What must if have felt like to come back to life? To return to a semi glorified humanness after being humanly dead? What it exhilarating? Did it leave Him longing for eternity once more? When I recall my earliest sense of having been raised into FULL LIFE by putting faith in Christ, I remember a sense of relief and freshness. I remember a sense of limitlessness. I remember hope.

Set your hearts/minds on things above. That is not where my mind has been. (too doo... blah, blah, blah)

The throne where God is lifted up in all of His glory. Worship never ceases. I worship without ceasing. Beauty is uninhibited. Light is magnificent. AWE!

Ahhhhhhhhh!

Peace.
Completely out of myself... completely... Wow!
Look what happens when my mind goes there. What if my heart were there too? God, have my heart and take me there.

For you died and your life is now hidden with God... Did I really die? Really? That seems pretty extreme. I'm not so sure I experienced anything that extreme. Am I continuing to die more... or just add more life to the life I already live?

Ohhh my heart. I remember reading somewhere in Proverbs that the heart is hopelessly deceptive and should not be trusted. What do I want? Where does my heart lead me?

Lord take my heart and lead me to things above. Hide me above. Make my life hear hollow. Just a reflection... A reflection of the life in perfection that truly happens above where you have hidden me with You. A reflection... Wow! I like that idea. If I were truly living in Heaven with God, what would my life look like. God make my temporary and meaningful life here reflect that eternal life hidden above.

BECAUSE...
When you appear, I will appear with You in glory.