Daily Devotionals
Monday, April 22, 2024 (Mary Ann)
How do we live?
“Oh, she’s so heavenly minded that she’s no earthly good!”
Variations of that old criticism have been rattling around in my old brain lately. I mean, what’s so wrong with being heavenly minded? Is there a right way to be heavenly minded and still do some earthly good?
Let’s start with our pop quiz question for today:
Who, in all of human history, was the most heavenly minded person who did the most earthly good?
Times up! Put your pencils down.
The right answer, of course, is Jesus. This makes the earthly life of Jesus our perfect model for combining the “there-and-then” of eternity with the “here-and-now” of how we live and relate to people and situations in our daily lives. In fact, his whole life was meant to be an example for us to follow. So here are some action steps:
Give it up
I’m thinking that some of the problem with well-meaning Believers being too heavenly minded stems from their doing a whole lot more talking the talk than walking the walk.
Here’s our model: Philippians 2:5-8 says “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Sisters, it isn’t all about us. It’s about loving others and showing them the difference accepting God’s free gift of salvation can make in their lives. We need to find that balance between genuinely demonstrating the love of God and telling others the difference he’s made in our lives.
Soak it up
Another sign of being too heavenly minded might come from concentrating on “religious” rules and regulations rather than relying on guidelines actually found for us in the Bible. Case in point: Me. In high school. So holier-than-pretty-much-everyone when I’d explain I didn’t dance because I was a Christian! (Tell that to King David, Mary Ann! He danced for the Lord!)
Here’s our model: In Matthew 4:4 Jesus told the devil, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” And 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV) tells us, “Study to show thyself approved unto God. A workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Jesus often cited Old Testament scriptures. And as a human, even he had to study and learn them so he could grow in wisdom and stature. Remember when he was 12, sitting in the temple amazing the teachers with his understanding and answers? Jesus studied the Scriptures; should we do less?
Pray it out
We just can’t do this alone.
Here’s our model: His fame was spreading, and everywhere Jesus went crowds came to hear him and be healed of their diseases, “But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.” In fact, besides his regular prayer life, Jesus prayed at important times in his life – at his baptism (Luke 3:21-22); before feeding the 5,000 (Luke 9:16) and the 4,000 (Matthew 15:36); and at the moment of his transfiguration (Luke 9:29).
While on earth, Jesus faced persecution, trials, heartache and physical suffering. To go through all this, he needed regular, intimate contact with his Father. Again, if Jesus needed to pray, how much more do we need that constant contact with our God?
Bottom line
Those of us who have accepted God’s gift of eternal life have dual earth/heaven citizenships. But earth is temporary and heaven is eternal, so while we are exiles in this fallen world, we have hope and confidence in what is promised. And this, dear Sisters, is what gives us the drive to be heavenly minded for earthly good.
Mary Ann
“Oh, she’s so heavenly minded that she’s no earthly good!”
Variations of that old criticism have been rattling around in my old brain lately. I mean, what’s so wrong with being heavenly minded? Is there a right way to be heavenly minded and still do some earthly good?
Let’s start with our pop quiz question for today:
Who, in all of human history, was the most heavenly minded person who did the most earthly good?
Times up! Put your pencils down.
The right answer, of course, is Jesus. This makes the earthly life of Jesus our perfect model for combining the “there-and-then” of eternity with the “here-and-now” of how we live and relate to people and situations in our daily lives. In fact, his whole life was meant to be an example for us to follow. So here are some action steps:
Give it up
I’m thinking that some of the problem with well-meaning Believers being too heavenly minded stems from their doing a whole lot more talking the talk than walking the walk.
Here’s our model: Philippians 2:5-8 says “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Sisters, it isn’t all about us. It’s about loving others and showing them the difference accepting God’s free gift of salvation can make in their lives. We need to find that balance between genuinely demonstrating the love of God and telling others the difference he’s made in our lives.
Soak it up
Another sign of being too heavenly minded might come from concentrating on “religious” rules and regulations rather than relying on guidelines actually found for us in the Bible. Case in point: Me. In high school. So holier-than-pretty-much-everyo
Here’s our model: In Matthew 4:4 Jesus told the devil, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” And 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV) tells us, “Study to show thyself approved unto God. A workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Jesus often cited Old Testament scriptures. And as a human, even he had to study and learn them so he could grow in wisdom and stature. Remember when he was 12, sitting in the temple amazing the teachers with his understanding and answers? Jesus studied the Scriptures; should we do less?
Pray it out
We just can’t do this alone.
Here’s our model: His fame was spreading, and everywhere Jesus went crowds came to hear him and be healed of their diseases, “But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.” In fact, besides his regular prayer life, Jesus prayed at important times in his life – at his baptism (Luke 3:21-22); before feeding the 5,000 (Luke 9:16) and the 4,000 (Matthew 15:36); and at the moment of his transfiguration (Luke 9:29).
While on earth, Jesus faced persecution, trials, heartache and physical suffering. To go through all this, he needed regular, intimate contact with his Father. Again, if Jesus needed to pray, how much more do we need that constant contact with our God?
Bottom line
Those of us who have accepted God’s gift of eternal life have dual earth/heaven citizenships. But earth is temporary and heaven is eternal, so while we are exiles in this fallen world, we have hope and confidence in what is promised. And this, dear Sisters, is what gives us the drive to be heavenly minded for earthly good.
Mary Ann
