On a trip to the West Coast, Hannah (my wife) and I were able to stop at a range of incredible landmarks. With the exception of one of our pit stops, it seemed like there were people all around the world who came out to see the very same places we came for. Each location was unique and memorable in its own way. However, there was one site that stood out and surpassed the others. That was Yellowstone National Park.
It seemed like there was always something more to see. From the collection of geysers, to the beauty of the waterfalls, to the vastness of the mountain ranges, there was so much to see! Along the road that takes you through the park there are designated areas to pull off to enjoy and take in your surroundings. We didn’t stop every time we saw one of those areas because it would have taken ages if we did. But, sometimes there were one or two other vehicles pulled over to capture the moment, so we would do the same. Whenever we saw a group of cars pulled off to the side, we knew there was something good we had to see. By the end of our time we were pretty satisfied with the sights that we saw. However, there was one more thing we wanted to see: a bear! As the hours were getting fewer before we leaved, it seemed like all we could think about was where we could find a bear. The potential of a bear sighting consumed our minds. It was the main topic of conversation. To make a long story short, we had almost lost hope, until on the last leg of our drive through Yellowstone we, and many others, spotted two grizzly bears on the other side of the river. It was very exciting and was certainly a good finish to our journey through the park.
Paul writes to the Colossians “Set your minds on things above, not earthly things”. He tells them that because they are in Christ, He is all that matters. He is their life. Our hearts and our minds should be focused on him. There’s nothing wrong with getting excited about a bear sighting. However, it just doesn’t seem right that the thought of finding a bear was overwhelming compared the reflection I had on the greatness of God just a couple of hours beforehand. Why wasn’t that the main topic of conversation? Why wasn’t that consuming my mind?
Every day, if we are on the lookout, there are God sightings all around us. Let’s make those things consume our thoughts.
Author: Gabriel Wilson