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.

If someone were to come and ask me to describe my life in a few words, what would I tell them?

I would likely tell them that I am a husband and father of five, I live in the great state of Idaho, USA, and I have been blessed to have my needs provided for.

This answer is good, but in reality, it is not exactly accurate. Paul is asking me to take a more complete and accurate view of my life. I have been raised with Christ. My life is not my own, I was bought with a high price — the blood of Jesus Christ.

The sin that once held me in bondage is vanquished forevermore. The price for this sin has been fully paid. My freedom to follow God was purchased — my destiny to become a child of God secure. And so I should and must have a different outlook on life.

Since I was redeemed and raised with Jesus, given a new life and a new identity as a son of God, I must live in this new life. I must embrace it. There are two parts to embracing my new life: 1) Resetting my heart on the things above or the things of God (dreams, passions, and motives), and 2) resetting my mind on the thoughts, and intentions of God and acting on them.

This can be incredibly difficult for me to do, for a few reasons. While living in this world, I have temptations that weigh on my heart and I may contemplate in my mind the worldly passions and sinful actions this world offers. These are big on promise, yet prove empty on fulfillment, and are joyless.

So the call is to reach for God, to strive after him. I must seek to live like the Savior, Jesus, by focusing my heart and my mind on him. As I do this, there is a transformative process that happens in my heart and mind. Daily it happens in one way. Over my lifetime, it happens in a more permanent way. This transformation is the casting off of my old sinful life and the receiving, clothing myself in, and active living out my new life in Jesus Christ.

And so as I live until the day I pass on from this world, I am becoming a reflection and a pattern of the one I follow, Jesus. He becomes the focus and the goal of my life. He is my life!

Lord, what a glorious transformation you have me in the middle of! Marvelous is the life directed towards you. Mold me and shape me to be a true and loving reflection of you. Teach me your humble and faithful ways.