December 17

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. — Col 3:2 BSB

How do we set our affections on things above? Can we accomplish this great task on our own? No, it is only the Lord Himself, by revealing His beauty and blessedness to our soul and drawing us with the golden cord of His love, that lifts our affections and places them where He is at the right hand of God. He captivates our hearts with a look of love, a word of grace, a sweet promise, or a divine truth applied to our hearts. When He draws us like this, our affections naturally flow toward Him as the source and fountain of all blessings. We are not forced into loving Him, but are drawn into love by His love. Love cannot be bought or forced; it is an inner affection that flows naturally towards its object, and all that is connected with it. As our love flows out to Jesus, our affections automatically focus on “things above” and not on earthly things.

But what are these "things above"? They are all the blessings stored up in Christ, all that speaks of Christ and flows from Christ—pardon, peace, righteousness, love, “joy unspeakable and full of glory,” strength to resist sin, victory over death and hell, power against temptations and lusts. In short, every blessing God has given His people “in heavenly places in Christ” are the "things above" that our souls are called to set our affections upon. But we must have a view of Christ Himself, the eternal Son of the eternal Father, revealed to our souls by the power of God before we can see His beauty and blessedness and fall in love with Him as “the chief among ten thousand and altogether lovely.” When this happens, everything that speaks of Christ, breathes of Christ, and shines with His presence becomes unspeakably sweet and precious.

This is the “golden oil” that flows into the heart. This is the sweet-smelling myrrh that drips on the handles of the lock. This is “the aloes and cassia from the ivory palaces.” This is the love that "many waters cannot quench, nor can floods drown." Through this experience, our affections are set on things above.

And there is no other way to lift our affections from earth to heaven. We cannot control our affections by sheer willpower—they will flow where they will. If our affections are earthly, they will naturally turn toward earthly things. If they are carnal and sensual, they will focus on carnal and sensual objects. But when the Lord Jesus Christ reveals His glory and blessedness, or the Holy Spirit takes the things of Christ and reveals them to our souls, He becomes the only object worthy of every affection in our hearts. Then, our affections flow spiritually and inevitably toward Him, and they are set on things above.