By: Elizabeth Haarberg

Rising Up

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

Peace above all circumstances is possible. We were created to be vessels that leak heaven to Earth. This flow is how peace is possible all the time.

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Matthew 6:10 English Standard Version

How does heaven come to Earth? Through us. We are God’s vessels, His flow to spread His Spirit, His lava of love is possible when we say yes. Can He do all of this without us? Absolutely, but He wants us to be part of His body designed to show the world why He created every individual.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7 English Standard Version

Love comes from God and His love is the only way we can love others. Pursuing God and receiving His love is how we pursue higher things while we live in this world. We meditate on the higher things so He can change us.

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
Colossians 3:2 English Standard Version

Then…

“For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
Colossians 3:3 English Standard Version

As we pursue the higher things of God, our lives stop being our own. As this process unfolds, we begin to live for Christ and he lives in us.

To pursue the higher things of God, our minds first have to be focused on God then He begins to work in us to change our hearts and minds. This is the process of dying to ourself and becoming more like Christ.

Some will choose this route and others will not. Peace in our process and releasing others to work out their own journey is also part of the path. We are ultimately only responsible for ourselves on Earth. Planting seeds along the way in the journey is good, but our lives are the greatest testimony to the pursuit of higher things. As we pursue higher things, others will be drawn to the Spirit in us.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado