11 March, 2023
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:1–2
Merciful Father, out of your deep and compassionate love for us, you elevate our needs on high, when we respond in faith and come to believe in you as the Lord of our Salvation. Your perfect plan of deliverance for us, redeemed us from bondage and lifted us out from the regions of dreadful darkness to the realms of heavenly light and bliss. We acknowledge gratefully that we enjoy the Power of your Grace, though we are not meritorious, only because by our faith we have been restored to you as your children, and inheritors and partakers of your great Kingdom.
This has been accomplished by our Savior Lord Jesus, who has, by his sacrificial death made us co-heirs and citizens of heaven. As Christians, in new life and communion with you, help us realize Father, that we need to transform our lives to a new way of thinking and adapting, according to the doctrines of your Holy Word and your new commandment that we love each other as you have loved us. In addition, we are instructed to the renewing of our minds if we want to undergo a conversion as Christians, so that we reflect more and more of Jesus and act more like citizens of heaven.
Lord God, give us wisdom and new insight to raise our level of thinking from worldly matters, to heavenly goals. To do this, we must set our minds on the things that are above, the things that have to do with godliness, for all good things come from God. Help us to strive to remain pure in thought and behavior, to become perfect in the imitation of Christ, to always rely on the Holy Spirit for proper guidance and protection and to reflect by example the teachings and life of our Lord Jesus, in whose Name we plead our cause and pledge our allegiance. Amen