“Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:1-2 NASB)
Bookstores are hard to find in my area, so Saturday I ventured a little further west to a small town and found a pretty large bookstore. I enter the store and immediately look for the “RELIGION” section which I believe should be at the front or at least in the center of the store. It was in neither of those places. It was located in the very back of the store, near the restrooms. In my opinion, the “RELIGION” section was in the wrong place.
Living in a time where we are in desperate need of good religion, true religion; religion that is centered around our Savior, I am certain, absolutely sure that the “RELIGION” section needed to be repositioned; relocated to attract the eyes of customers as soon as they entered the store. Perhaps they would see a book that would disperse any doubts they had about the existence of a loving God and the saving act of His only begotten Son. Just maybe shoppers would see a book that would settle disputes about the need for real religion in one’s life. Bibles would stand out and invite the customers to seek a new translation or paraphrased version that would be easy for them to read and learn about the things of God. Again, in my opinion, that bookstore needs to be move the “RELIGION” section! It’s in the wrong place.
Putting religion in the back is not something unique to this bookstore. Just like we put clothes in the back of the closet that will have value later or how we put items we are not using in the back corner of the garage for future use or how we put the food we cannot finish in the back of the refrigerator to chill, hopefully not to be thrown away later; we often put our religion “in the back.” That’s the wrong place! Our religion needs to be at the front of our minds and in the center of our hearts. It needs to be where we can easily access it and answer all the questions that come up in life. It needs to be so visible in our consciousness that it influences us constantly. Yes, we need to put religion back in the front or center of our homes to make this world a better place. Do you remember the old song the generation before you sang? The one that poses the question, “Do you have good religion?” And do you recall that the response sung enthusiastically by the congregation was, “Certainly, certainly, certainly Lord?”
My challenge to you this week is to keep good religion in the proper place this week, not in the back or set aside; definitely not in any wrong place. Have a good start to your week. Be blessed!
“Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powersof this world, rather than from Christ.” (Colossians 2:8 NLT)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King