When I wake up in the morning what is my mindset for the day? Unless I set my disposition in Christ with His mind, the pressures of the world can easily take over. Natural reasoning will always oppose my disposition in Christ.
Romans 8:2 defines the victorious position: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death”.
Am I disposed to believe what God’s word declares, or the murmuring of reason from my unruly heart?
The reason of the heart is the treason of the heart…….against my Creator. Every day presents us with choices to make. Colossians 3:2 encourages to set our affection, it requires choice until it becomes a lifestyle: “SET your affection on things above, not on things on the earth”. It is not a case of being too heavenly minded to be of earthly use, that is imbalance. The grace of God has called us to be heavenly citizens, carriers of His presence wherever we are. Hebrews 4 encourages us to enter in to the rest of God provided for us in the finished work of Calvary. We have dwelling rights in the rest of God, but for most of us we make it visiting rights instead of abiding in our birthright on the resurrection ground of Calvary. However, we are all on this journey of learning to operate in Christ’s life, instead of the old nature. We have not yet arrived, but, praise God, we have left much of the old. As we walk in humility the Lord Jesus takes us up to the higher ground in Him. Why should I hang on to my rights, stumbling across rocks of my own making in the lowlands of a wilderness, when Jesus is calling me to His heavenly highlands, where everything I need is found in Him. I can choose my disposition to be lost in Him, (no longer I that lives), yet found in Him, (but Christ that lives in me), Galatians 2:20.
One of the first things Jesus gave up was His reputation, (Philippians 2:7). Very often it is the last thing we want to sacrifice in the eyes of men. We can so easily be men pleasers, instead of pleasing God first. When I set my affection on things above, then I dispose myself to please God first, inspite of what men may think of me.
I want to set my rhythm for life by always being disposed to “seeing God in all things”, (this is heart purity, Matthew 5:8), and “labouring to enter God’s rest“, Hebrews 4. This is the lifestyle that pleases my Father in heaven.
God’s heart is to make a company of people who will live, walk, manifest and minister His presence on an every day basis, into all situations and relationships, just as Jesus did. If I do not, God will have some that will, for His purposes will not be thwarted.
There are times when God makes us very aware of His presence. Sometimes in worship, sometimes in desperation or great need, in many other personal encounters with Him. He imparts something indefinable of Himself into our personal being, and we are aware of His supernatural touch and presence. His word declares He will never leave nor forsake us, (Hebrews 13:5). Therefore this means that I am always in His presence, even when my feelings dictate otherwise. I can lose the awareness of His presence if I engage with wrong behaviour or thoughts, but the Holy Spirit is always seeking to guide me back to the right path. Humility and repentance opens the door to get on track once more with my Saviour. Our confidence is in God alone, and who His word declares He is. He has touched our lives and drawn us irresistably with His love, captivated our hearts in such a way that only He, and His beloved Son, will satisfy our deepest longings. He has placed in us a desire for Himself that only He can fulfil. It is a river of life ever flowing from the throne room of heaven, into our hearts where He lives. Indwelt by deity! This awareness supercedes my understanding and I bow in reverence and thanksgiving to God, my God, who gave of Himself, paid the highest price, that I can be reconciled to Him, and live in His presence. “My presence shall go with you and I will give you rest”.
Prayer: Make me true, Lord Jesus, keep me true to You. Amen.
Photo by Simon Hurry on Unsplash