Above Only: A Reminder For The Risen

Recently, I had the opportunity to partner with another young lady at my church for our young adult monthly Zoom. Together, we taught on what it means for God to be our greatest desire and the realignment required when He isn’t.

Whew. Let me tell you, the Holy Spirit came for me before I could even finish preparing. Colossians 3:1 jumped off the page and straight into my heart:

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”

This verse wrecked me because the premise is clear: if I’m truly risen with Christ, then my desires, pursuits, and priorities should all be higher than what I’m currently reaching for.

So I had to pause and ask myself:

• Am I risen with Him?

• Am I really seeking the things that are above?

• What does that actually mean for me right now?

Being “risen with Christ” means I’m already seated in heavenly places with Him (Ephesians 2:6). But if I’m seated there, why am I reaching for things that aren’t even in the room? Things that are beneath the standard, beneath the calling, beneath me?

How often do we find ourselves spiritually drained and demoted simply because we’re reaching for what’s below us? The answer for me is too frequently.

But if God is truly our greatest desire, He won’t let us settle. He doesn’t want us to choose what looks good but ultimately harms. He’s calling us to reach higher, not just for the 'better' version of what we had before, but for what’s available around the throne.

It’s giving: know better, do better.

If I’m risen with Him, then I should be growing in my knowledge of Him, and that growth should show up in my decisions. That means choosing differently, reaching differently, and loving differently. This is a reminder for the risen. No more reaching for the trash. Not when He has better for us. Not when He’s seated us above only.