Counsel, Discipline, Encouragement, Hope, Obedience, Priorities, Provision, Relationship to Christ, Serving

The Balance Between Heavenly and Earthly Things

As we finish our series about being either Martha or Mary, we revisit a verse we began this series with, Colossians 3:2. “Set your affections on things on things above, not on things on the earth.” (KJV) The NASB 1995 translation says, “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Martha had her priorities upside down. Yes, she needed to do the things required to ensure that Jesus and the guests had what they needed, but she was so consumed with that task that she missed out on hearing what Jesus wanted her to hear. Mary followed her desire to know more about what Jesus was teaching. I’m sure Mary did her part in helping Martha, but it wasn’t her main area of focus. Jesus said she had chosen the better way. Even though Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet, she didn’t shirk her responsibilities in serving. She had a healthy balance of what was needed.

We need to have balance in our lives. There are times when we need to be concerned with earthly things, but not to an extreme; the same is true of being Heavenly minded. I used to have a co-worker who was in the latter category. She was so focused on the prophetic interpretation and meaning of things that one day as we were walking out to our cars at the end of the day, she saw a crow sitting on top of the building. She asked, “What do you think it means that a crow is sitting on the building?” My other co-worker said, “It means a crow is sitting on the building.” Sometimes, a crow is just a crow. She had her head so much in the clouds that she saw something “heavenly” in everything. Her life was out of balance.

I know people who are so focused on grabbing everything this world has to offer, and even though it looks like they are enjoying life, in reality, they are the most miserable people you would ever meet. They don’t have the hope that Believers have. Pastor Mark Ballenger, a pastoral counselor with AGW Ministries, states, “Christians should also be balanced in their everyday lives…When it comes to our regular lives, the Bible says we should be balanced, placing our hope fully in ‘God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.’ (1 Timothy 6:17)”

We need to get our priorities straight. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (ESV) Because we are human, we do need to pay attention to our physical needs, however; we also need to remember that it is God who takes care of us, and He desires for us to have our focus on Him and the Heavenly things He wants us to pay attention to. Seek Him first and worry about the other stuff later. We are not to put more attentiveness over either Heavenly or earthly things, but to keep an even balance.

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Donna Knuth Rice

I am trying a blog for the first time in my life, and frankly, I feel like I don't have a clue as to what I'm doing! But, here goes. I work at a Christian Television network in the Correspondence Department, where I write letters and emails to our viewers, pray with them for their needs, and send materials they request. I am a Christian. I was saved at the age of 11 during a youth meeting at my church. My pastor led me to the Lord, and to say the least, my life has been an adventure. I am a widow. My late husband, Allen, passed away after 34 1/2 years of marriage. He had been sick the last seven years of his life, and it was a struggle, for him and for me. We met as part of a singing group that was affiliated with a Christian Radio station, and we sang together all through our lives together. We both worked in television and radio all through our married life, mostly for Christian stations. Besides singing I also play flute. I had the luxury of having parents who started out as music teachers...so music was in our house constantly. Some people describe me as being a loud-mouthed lime type...can't disagree with that. I have a tendency to put my foot in my mouth more times than I can count! I also have a tendency to say exactly what's on my mind...which is why I get myself in so much trouble! LOL! Trust me, that's something me and God have been working on for a very long time. I have no children here on earth, although I have a baby in heaven. My baby here is my dog Jack. He's a black lab/ chow mix. He's a big boy....thinks he's a lap dog! Can't think of much else to say. The reason I started this blog is because a few months ago in church, a guest pastor came and delivered a message, and when he asked for those of us who wanted prayer to come forward, I did. When he came to me he asked me if I did any journaling. I told him no 'cause I wasn't very good at it. He told me to start, and prophesied over me that my journal thoughts would impact other people. I wasn't sure just how I was to go about doing this. In fact, I was a little hesitant at first. I started journaling at home, and our assistant pastor's wife asked me to submit something for our Senior newsletter. I didn't the first edition, but something I had heard on Christian radio a long time ago and has stuck with me all these years, came to mind so I submitted an article. That article will be my first post. I don't claim to have all the answers, and my thoughts may seem a little "out there", but I feel God has been prodding me to do this, and so here I am. I hope what I post will bring encouragement, and "Something to Think About".

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