Stirring Our Affections: PRACTICES (Daily Encouragement Series)
“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.” – Colossians 3:1-4
This series started with Paul’s call to “holiness” because we are “the temple of God” in 2 Corinthians 6. We asked “what are the things that stir our affections for Christ?” Colossians 3 drives at the same idea with the phrase seek the things that are above. This is not something random, floating in the air, but “where Christ is”. Seek Christ. Set your mind on Christ. He then goes through and says to put to death sin (see “Substitution” from yesterday) and put on holiness and love (seeing a pattern in the Bible?). The ESV Study Bible calls it “putting on the virtues of Christ”.
In Colossians 3, we can see some practices or habits that stir our affections for Christ:
Character – Who we are is one of the most important habits that stir our affections. We are “to live into who we are in Christ”. All in response to the gospel. Jesus loves us, is kind, compassionate, forgiving, and patient with us; humbled himself for us – we then become that for others. When we do, our affections are stirred.
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. (3:12-14)
Prayer – It takes work to be content. It is a habit to have peace. You have to fight for it. And it is fought for in prayer. When Paul calls the Philippians to not be anxious, it comes through prayer – The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7). He says the same thing in Colossians 3:
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. (3:15)
Word of God – The word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12) and has the power to stir our affections for Christ. This comes through reading it, meditating on it, singing it, hearing it preached, talking about it, etc. Let the word of Christ dwell IN YOU richly
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (3:16)
What We Do – When we live as those who “have been raised with Christ” EVERYTHING becomes an opportunity to see Christ and have our affections stirred for him. It doesn’t matter if we are working, cleaning, recreating, homeschooling or stuck doing nothing – it’s all an opportunity to glorify God and have gratitude towards Him.
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (3:17)
Our affections are stirred as we are transformed by God’s word and prayer to live a life that glorifies and enjoys God and His gifts.