Living In The Light

May 13, Keep The Heart Full Of God’s Love

Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
—Colossians 3:2 LL 143.1

The Owner of all our earthly treasures came to our world in human form. The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. We cannot appreciate how deeply interested He must be in the human family. He knows the value of every soul. What grief oppressed Him as He saw His purchased inheritance charmed with Satan’s inventions! The only satisfaction Satan takes in playing the game of life for the souls of humanity is the satisfaction he takes in hurting the heart of Christ. Though He was rich, for our sake Christ became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich. Yet in view of this great fact, the majority of the world permit earthly possessions to eclipse heavenly attractions. They set their affections upon earthly things and turn away from God. What a grievous sin it is that human beings will not come to their senses and understand how foolish it is to permit inordinate affections for earthly things to expel the love of God from the heart. When the love of God is expelled, the love of the world quickly flows in to supply the vacuum. The Lord alone can cleanse the soul-temple from the moral defilement. . . . LL 143.2

Humanity seems moved with an insane desire to procure earthly possessions. Every species of dishonesty is practiced in order to accumulate wealth. People pursue their business affairs with intense zeal, as though success in this line would be a surety for obtaining heaven. They bind up the Lord’s entrusted capital in worldly goods, and there is no means with which to advance the kingdom of God in the world by relieving the mental and physical distress of the world’s inhabitants. . . . LL 143.3

The Lord will not compel people to deal justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with their God; He sets before the human agent good and evil, and makes plain what will be the sure result of following one course or the other. Christ invites us, saying, “Follow Me.” But we are never forced to walk in His footsteps. If we do walk in His footsteps, it is the result of deliberate choice. As we see the life and character of Christ, strong desire is awakened to be like Him in character; and we follow on to know the Lord, and to know His goings forth are prepared as the morning. We then begin to realize that “the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”— Review and Herald, March 31, 1896. LL 143.4

Further Reflection: : Ask God to open your eyes this day to His opportunities of service. LL 143.5