v 15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.
Love, this deeply felt affection, can be misdirected however. So today we consider the object of our love and this is where our own will comes into play. We can choose the person or object of our affection. This is a deliberate act of our own will.in deciding where our affections should be directed. Paul puts it this way in Colossians 3:1-2 ‘Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ‘ It is this positive act of the will – setting our hearts and minds on things above – that is the essence of a godly mind-set. To have an earthly mind-set, thoughts and affections in thrall to the things of earth, that is the characteristic of a person out of touch and out of love with God.
Every single advertisement that I can recall invites us down the line of ‘Life will be better/happier/more fulfilled/more exciting/easier/etc if only you buy … Adverts do more than inform us, they are designed to seduce us and lead us into the realm of earth-desire, which is the very opposite of what God calls us into.
Now, when we reflect on our love for God and His love for us, we might easily fall into the trap of becoming rather vague, theoretical or just plain cleverly philosophical. That too is a path to avoid – love is a practical subject carried out in the workshop of life. It is not so much that you have got new things to learn this week, but that you have new things to put into practice. How about a cool look at your shopping list, or the longed-for items in the kitchen, or a re-appraisal of the holidays you are saving for? Are there things or experiences that might be diverting your attention from God by becoming centre-stage in your thoughts and desires.
And yes – it might take some effort to be honest with yourself!
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