We have two dogs; one of them is a Dachshund. She is a very determined dog. We have an upstairs bedroom to which she is not allowed to go. Therefore, she will often sit by the stairs looking up, just waiting for us to come down.

Paul says that as believers, we should “Look up!” Our hearts are not to be too entangled with our surroundings, but rather we are to set our attention and our hope on “things above” (v. 1). Paul writes, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” To “set” our hearts means to place our desire on having or experiencing something. He challenged the church in Colossae to turn their desire away from earthly things and toward Jesus Christ who is above: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (vv. 1–2).

Paul gives us the reason for this shift of our focus in verse 3: “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” We are reminded that Christ not only died for us, taking our place, but we died with Him. As believers, we identify with His death and His resurrection. That means that when Jesus rose from the dead, we were also raised. We have new life in Him!

We also have the wonderful hope of appearing with Him in glory! That’s why Paul says in verse 4, “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” First John 3:2 repeats that encouraging message: “We know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” Friend, even when life on earth is discouraging, we must continue looking up!

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