2022_12_14 Insight Post- Rusty Coram
This week’s reading- Colossians 3 & 4
I’m sure we’ve all done it. We see something we want and immediately order it on Amazon or buy it at the store. Later we reflect on the purchase and realize we really didn’t need the item, could have gotten it at a much better price, or (and I’ve done this) realize we already had one! Fire, ready, aim.
We can easily get caught up in the emotion of the moment and find ourselves making choices that, on honest reflection, are not wise or good. As followers of Jesus, we need to be aware of this tendency and prepare ourselves to handle it. Paul gives us solid advice to this end: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:1–3 (NIV)
This short passage, rightly understood and applied, can prevent many regrets. As followers of Jesus, we have the protection of God’s wisdom and power to guide and carry us through all the choices in our lives. We access His wisdom and power by getting our hearts and minds focused on His purposes and desires. From this vantage point, we are able to see the direction we need to take and then act. Instead of “fire, ready, aim,” we learn to (1) ready ourselves by deliberately inviting God into the situation, (2) aim at what He says is right and good from the perspective of the Bible, and then (3) fire – make our decision.
Good life decisions don’t have to be a mystery.
Rusty Coram
Senior Pastor