A Heavenly Mindset

“Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside His outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around His waist. Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.”    John 13:1-5

Jesus was about to be betrayed by Judas this very same night, ultimately leading to His torture and death on the cross. He would also soon be denied three times by Peter, the disciple who proclaimed he would follow Jesus unto death. However, Jesus wasn’t focused on any of these things. When I read this passage, I was struck by the amount of care taken to express Jesus’ thoughts. Yes, He knew the evil thoughts and motives of others, but He also knew the greatness that lay before Him, which far exceeded anything man or death could do to Him. He had come from the Father and knew He would soon be returning. What excitement He must have felt!

I think about past times when we had a vacation planned, and I would spend so much time making lists of things to pack. I also spent much time creating an itinerary, daydreaming about all the fun we would have, and telling my kids what it would be like. I could get through many mundane, boring, or even frustrating tasks when that vacation was on the horizon. Though this is nothing compared to Heaven or the cross, I still feel I can imagine a tiny bit of what Jesus must have felt. He knew the greatness of Heaven and of being with the Father. He knew these things would not disappoint. And He trusted His Father. Thus He loved the disciples and did not focus on their sins, betrayal, or selfishness. He served them – and ultimately gave His life for them. His mind was set on things above.

Oh, how God knew I needed this word from Him! I am called to be a servant daily to my husband and children (not to mention all the others God places in my path), and I often don’t do it well. But if my mind is truly set on things above and if I truly trust the Father to fulfill all the promises He has made about Heaven, then there will be an excitement and joy in my heart that will move me to serve happily. My focus won’t be on all the ways my husband hurt my feelings this week or on the thousands of times I had to tell my child to do something. I will overlook offenses, and my words will be uplifting and encouraging. This sounds so easy to me today, but I promise you that tomorrow I will wake up cranky (as is my tendency) and will want to fuss about something.

So how do I keep my mind set on heavenly things? It is a DAILY battle. As much as it’s been said, it’s true: we must CHOOSE to place our minds there by praying constantly and spending time in His Word. Nothing else works.

I tend to be one of those people who thinks if I work hard enough, I can make anything happen. The truth is I have spent so much time trying to control my temper and use gentle words with my family that I’ve been exhausted by day’s end. Had I just stopped and opened God’s Word or even spent some time talking and listening to Him, I would have struggled so much less!

The past few months I have tried to be more intentional about my prayer time, daily committing an uninterrupted 30 minutes talking to God. I cannot convey the benefits and attitude shift I have had! Joy, contentment, and gentleness have come a bit more naturally now. I have so far to go in this area- trust me! However, my family has noticed these changes, and for that, I’m so grateful. God is faithful. The promises in His Word are true. Trust that any time spent with Him will not be wasted.

Suggestion: Take a moment to read Colossians 3. Write out the verse/s that stand out to you and post them where you’ll see them often.

Lord, thank You for Your promises. Keep our minds focused on You, no matter what situation arises. Mold us to become more like You as we commit to reading Your Word and spending time in prayer. You know the struggle we face in finding the perfect time to give You, so make us aware of the grace You give in this area. You reward our small efforts and don’t require a perfect quiet time. So let us be committed, even if chaos surrounds us. Father, give us the joy and gentleness that naturally abound from an excitement to see You face-to-face. In Jesus’ name, amen.