This is the Faith I live by: My affections affect my attitude
Message Magazine’s Online Devotional for Thursday, June 13, 2019
Audio Link: http://bit.ly/ThoughtsinWorship
“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the Earth.”
Affection is a strong word! What has your affection? Cars, people, wealth, or gossip? Maybe peace, love, and God have your affection? Perhaps you have an affection for a combination of all these things. But the fact of the matter is, God says that whatever has captivated your affection must be from the world above.
The Affections Test
In our theme passage, the phrase “set your affection on” literally means to “continually think of or continually give keen attention to.” Check this scenario. What if you continually think of or continually give keen attention to your beautiful home in a gated community? Let’s say you need renovations done that cost more than $50,000. You come into some cash and find a highly recommended contractor that you share your dreams for your home with. After paying the contractor to begin, you find his work to be poor. As you walk in you see that your beautiful home retreat is now flooded, the additions are falling apart around you, and to make matters worse the contractor has no intention of making things right. Now what?
This is a true story. Fortunately, while he is extremely disappointed, his “affection” is not for his home. He is able to calmly, and yet courageously stick up for himself without becoming emotionally overwhelmed about the matter. He has a miraculous grasp of the God who sees all and who has his best interests at heart. His respectful reaction to this shows that his faith is strong. He continues to exhibit a godly demeanor, and remains hopeful that God will settle the matter in his favor.
Seek First…
Many times, our affairs to no not go as smoothly as we hope. But scripture promises us that if we seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness, then He will add peace, power, victory, and eternal life to our spiritual investment accounts. When our affections are set on things above, we can rest assured that these temporary and light afflictions will pass away. We can trust in this because our God who gives love, joy, and peace will soon return to give us our reward. And when He comes He will give us new bodies, and we will live in a new heaven and a new Earth. It’s when we think of or continually give keen attention to these things that are hearts are purified and our minds are renewed.
By God’s grace, this is the faith I live by. Let this be the same for you, in Jesus’ name.
