(The following is the September 11 devotional from my Next Step Devotions book. Before reading it, I suggest you read Colossians 3 and pay close attention to verses 1-16.)

When people claim to “take the high road,” they usually refer to morally higher ground compared to less admirable behavior. That image comes to mind reading today’s passage where Paul writes of new life in Christ: “So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (vv. 1-3). Paul says to “put to death what belongs to your earthly nature” (v. 5). Instead, as God’s chosen ones, we are to put on godly qualities (vv. 12-16).
It is as though there are two floors available to us. The lower floor contains what is sinful: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, idolatry, anger, wrath, malice, slander, filthy language, and lying. Although we start living on that floor due to our sinful nature, we don’t have to stay there. Instead, we can move from the earthly level to the heavenly because “you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in your knowledge according to the image of your Creator” (vv. 9-10).
We move from sin’s clutches to a higher way through life in Christ. This way includes compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, bearing with one another, forgiving each other, loving others, letting the peace and love of Christ dwell in us, thankfulness, teaching and admonishing one another, and singing with gratitude to God.
Believers must keep seeking the things above. Our home is no longer sin’s lower nature. It is with Christ, and we must quickly and humbly return to him when we stumble.
Next Step:
Have you recently spent time on the sinful nature’s lower level? Pray for godly living to be more attractive to you than what Satan offers.
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