Colossians 3  In "union with Jesus we have been made full" ( 2:10)  - He "circumcised"  us "by stripping away the old nature's control over the body;"  In Him we were buried.. and in Him we were raised.  "But God made you alive along with the Messiah by forgiving all your sins." (2:11-13)

So.. if we were "raised along with the Messiah.."  then Paul teaches.. "seek the things above, where the Messiah is sitting at the right hand of God."  Our focus should no longer be "on things here on earth".. but "on the things above" . 

How do we do this? Paul says we need to "put to death the earthly parts of [our] nature... " Everything that is outside of God's will and worthy of His wrath and judgement - "sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed... anger, exasperation, meanness, slander and obscene talk." And.. lying to one another.

The new self - the raised from the dead with Christ self - is to be "continually.. renewed in fuller and fuller knowledge, closer and closer to the image of its Creator."  We should be looking more and more like Jesus - in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance, forgiveness.. and love.  ".. and let the shalom which comes from the Messiah be your heart's decision-maker..." (v15) 

The word shalom is translated "peace".. but it goes beyond our definition of peace - it means to join - to be set at one again - quietness or rest.. In Jesus we are bound together, brought into union with Him and with each other in love - and this is "shalom".  No divisions.  No fighting. No hatefulness. No evil.  And out of this inner unity with Jesus we can make the right choices in our hearts. 

And for this we are thankful!  We can express our thankfulness as we let  "the Word of the Messiah, in all its richness, live in [us] as [we] teach and counsel each other in all wisdom, and as [we] sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude to God in [our] hearts."

Everything we do and say. Every relationship we have. Every job we do.. is for the Lord! Our focus.. our thoughts.. our motives.. and our desires and dreams.. are for Him.. remembering that we have a reward waiting for us - "the inheritance from the Lord."  It will be worth it ALL!

Father in heaven, we are Yours and You are our God.  Jesus is our Savior and our Master. We are Your slaves.. and more.. we are Your children.  We are the body of Christ and the work of Your hands. Have Your own way in us and draw us closer and closer to Your heart. Renew us in the "fuller knowledge " that will transform us to be more and more like our glorious Lord. Keep our eyes focused on Jesus, seated at the right hand of God.  It is the Lord Jesus whom we serve and in His name we pray. Amen