So if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds above, not on what is on the earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God. When the Messiah who is your life, is revealed, the you also will be revealed with Him in glory.    Colossians 3:1-4 HCSB

If I asked you where your home was, you would probably spout out some address or geographical directions. Of course we consider our home to be where we currently reside here on planet earth. The problem comes in when we get too entangled in what is going on down here.

We are told in this scripture passage to stay focused on God above. Matthew 6:33 tells us that if we stay focused on God, He will take care of all our needs. But there are so many distractions down here to get our attention. We’ve got all kinds of entertainment to distract us.  There is tv, movies, internet, video games and the list goes on and on. We work jobs that can be all consuming. Even our church work can become all consuming and get in the way of our relationship with our Savior, remember Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42.

Now I am not saying that you should not partake in any of those activities, but I am saying that you should keep God first. Those activities shouldn’t stop you from reading your bible, praying, and going to church.

The other problem we have is the vast amount of negativity in our society.  We have people filled with anger and rage. We have mass killings taking place  for reasons that make no sense whatsoever. The news reporters thrive on bad news. This is why I enjoy listening to K-Love Christian contemporary radio. They give the top news reports, but they balance it out with good things that people are doing that are often buried away by main stream media.

Now we have to be aware here, we have to use common sense. We have to earn a living and plan for our future, but our focus should be on God above. Our heart should be on our heavenly home. We are just passing through here.

I have traveled many times to New York City at Christmas time. The decorations are beautiful, the tree at Rockefeller Center, the windows in the big department stores. And, if it should happen to snow, Central Park looks like a post card. But when I go up there, I am not a resident, I am a visitor.  I don’t vote in their elections. I don’t pay property taxes. I don’t have a permanent address there, I am just visiting. Well, in reality, once we are saved, that is kind of how our life on earth is. Of course here we do vote and have a permanent address and pay property taxes, but we shouldn’t get overly concerned with what is going on down here because this is just our temporary home.

We should look for Christian candidates, we should vote, we should concern ourselves with this, but it should not consume us.  It should not be a source of fighting and strife.  The same goes for sports teams. I have seen people get more stirred up over sports or politics.  But people allow our religious freedoms to be taken away and sit idly by.  People allow our government to shove things like abortion and gay rights down our throats and just swallow it and go on.  We have businesses that applaud these things. We have businesses that have even come out and said that they don’t want your business if you don’t support these ideas and they stay busy.  People still continue to flock to them. Christian people still continue to give them their money.

So, I ask you today, where is your home? Well, my friend, it is where your heart is. If your heart is in this lost world then this is your home. But, if your heart is with God your father, then you are merely passing through here and the things of this world will not harm you.  We can choose to make this world our home and put our focus here and get entangled in all that is wrong here or we can focus on Jesus Christ. We can develop a close personal relationship with Him and focus on God and our heavenly home.

I spent many years being overly concerned with what is going on here. I spent those years not trusting that God’s will would be done.  I spent those years with chaos and disaster in my life because I just didn’t get it.  But now, I am focused on God and I realize that all things here are temporary. They will all come to pass.

I have a permanent home with my Lord and Savior and I invite you to join me and move up there.  If you are putting your trust in mere mortals, then you will be disappointed. If you think some politician has the power to make America great again, then you are sadly mistaken. Only God can do that. We must put our focus on Him and trust Him to take good care of us.

Today we celebrate Labor Day which honors the American labor movement and the power of collective action. As Christians those around us should see a collective action to serve the One, True, Living God. Others should see that we are focused on Him.  Imagine how He could turn our country around if only we would turn back to Him.  If only we here in our country could live out 2 Chronicles 7:14 which says, “and My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.”  How awesome would that be?

I ask you to join me today in focusing on your permanent home in heaven with God the Father.  In doing so, perhaps we could heal our land. Perhaps we could make America great again. Put your heart where your permanent home is and trust God to take care of all that goes on in your temporary residence.

Have a great Labor Day!