Just Pondering
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Rick Branan |
So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the 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 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 (CSBBible)
Little is known about Kate Barclay Wilkinson’s (b. England, 1859; d. Kensington, England, 1928) life: a member of the Church of England, she was involved in a ministry to girls in London and a participant in the Keswick Convention Movement. She was married to Frederick Barclay Wilkinson.
From Bert Polman
Behold Our God
May the mind of Christ, my Savior,
live in me from day to day,
by His love and pow'r controlling
all I do and say.
May the word of God dwell richly
in my heart from hour to hour,
so that all may see I triumph
only through His pow'r.
May the peace of God my Father
rule my life in everything,
that I may be calm to comfort
sick and sorrowing.
May the love of Jesus fill me
as the waters fill the sea;
Him exalting, self abasing:
this is victory.
May I run the race before me,
strong and brave to face the foe,
looking only unto Jesus
as I onward go.
May His beauty rest upon me
as I seek the lost to win,
and may they forget the channel,
seeing only Him.
Written by Kate Barclay Wilkinson
How do we seek the mind of Christ? I have a peculiar habit: I get interested in something and will research it to death. My problem is that I don’t always follow through like I should. Paul reminds us in Colossians 3 to “seek the things above.” In my mind, I’m going to study scripture that points me to Christ. That is great but what about the follow-through? Head knowledge is great, but do I have “heart” knowledge. I think Paul is reminding us that we have to live like Christ is in us.
When I was in Royal Ambassadors, one year at summer camp, a skit was presented. The skit showed a young man accept Christ as his Savior. The guy went on with his life, but “Christ” followed him everywhere. When he wanted to do something with his friends that wasn’t copacetic, “Christ” was there to remind him what was right. The skit ends with the young man nailing “Christ” to the cross to get rid of him because he wanted to do his own thing. In Colossians 3, Paul reminds us, “Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature.”
To seek the mind of Christ means to put off our worldly desires. Not an easy job, but it is ours to do. Kate Wilkinson gives us an excellent picture of seeking the mind of Christ, “May the love of Jesus fill me as the waters fill the sea; Him exalting, self abasing: this is victory.” We must exalt Christ and be submissive to His way and will for us. Let’s take our head knowledge and turn it to heart knowledge and be Christ seekers this week.
Just pondering . . . Bro. Rick