The Celtic Revival: Celtic Christian Culture (4)

Shame on my thoughts, how they stray from me!
One moment they follow the ways of loveliness, and the next the ways of riotous shame...
Swiftly they leap in one bound from earth to heaven...
O beloved Christ...may the grace of the sevenfold Spirit come to keep them in check!

  - Anonymous, On the Flightiness of Thought, Irish, 8^th-9^thcentury[1]

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

  - Colossians 3.1, 2

We identify with that anonymous scribe; we, too, can be undisciplined in our minds. His way of dealing with the problem was to commit it to verse, taming his thought life by a poem, making his mind obey his desire to serve the Lord at all times.

The thought life can be like a dodge ball game, where we’re the only person on our side of the line, and the world is arrayed against us, lobbing and hurling all manner of opinions, notions, ideas, things to do, and fleeting images against our brains. We glimpse most of these only for a moment, then duck away, only to be assaulted by the next barrage. 

For many of us, concentrating can be difficult – at prayer, in church, during conversations, while reading, even at work. Setting our minds with focus and concentration on mundane matters is hard enough; focusing on unseen things – a key component of lively faith – is a struggle (Heb. 11.1). 

Three things are required: First, growing clarity concerning the landscape of unseen things. The Bible offers rich images and descriptions to shape our thinking about unseen things, and we can appeal to these in painting out a compelling vision of that unseen landscape.

The secret to knowing more of the presence, promise, and power of the Kingdom of God is learning to live in the there and then, here and now, by setting your mind on things above. If that realm is terra incognita to you, then take up the challenge of familiarizing yourself with what will be your eternal home.

Second, we must live our lives from the heavenly vantage point. We have been seated with Christ in heavenly places (Eph. 2.6). Our lives are hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3.3). But when we look out on the day ahead – the work we have to do, the people we expect to encounter, the things left over from yesterday – do we see them from that heavenly and eternal perspective? Do we see each moment and activity as part of our Kingdom-and-glory-seeking calling from the Lord (1 Thess. 2.12; Eph. 5.15-17)? 

Call upon the grace of the sevenfold Spirit (Rev. 4.5; cf. Is. 11.2) to direct your thoughts to Jesus. Look out on your life with the mind of Christ, and let His perspective become increasingly your own.

Finally, we must devote the time necessary for training our minds to focus on and conform to the things that are above. Gaining a vision of unseen things doesn’t just happen; we have to apply ourselves to this discipline daily through reading, meditation, prayer, and talking with other believers. 

The imperative “set” in Colossians 3.2 implies a choice: we can either submit and obey, working to set our minds on things that are above, or we can continue in our undisciplined, earthly way of thinking. The Spirit can help us keep our wandering, unfocused minds in check, but we need time with Him, and a repertoire of disciplines to train our thought life. Our Celtic poet sought to train his mind by writing a poem. We can do the same by memorizing Scripture, singing hymns, talking with others, and journaling and meditating on the landscape of unseen things.

Paul says our lives have been hidden with Christ in God. Why should we allow our minds to languish amid the flotsam and jetsam of life? 

Today would be a good day to begin nurturing a truly Biblical mindset toward all of life. Start by determining to gain a clear and compelling vision of the unseen realm from reading and meditating on God’s Word. Then work hard each day at those disciplines that can keep you focused on that vision, and living your life accordingly. You might even, following the example of our anonymous poet, try writing your way into a clearer vision of the unseen realm.

Your mind is not your own (1 Cor. 6.19), but you are the steward of its focus. Where will you set it today?

Psalm 93.1, 2 (Trinity: Come, Thou Almighty King)
The Lord in majesty reigns, girded and clothed in strength!
Earth stands secure: Nor shall it e’er be moved;
God on His throne above set it in place with love – 
His reign is sure!

O Savior of the human race, by Your ascension into heaven, by the beauty and great glory in which You dwell eternally at the right hand of God the Father, grant grace to me, a wretched sinner, that I might… Adapted from Litany of the Saviour[2]

Resources for a heavenly mindset
We want to help and encourage you in setting your mind on the things that are above, beginning with your vision of Jesus Christ and Him exalted. Click here to download the free PDF study, Glorious Vision: 28 Days in the Throne Room of the Lord. Here are 28 meditations, based on Psalm 45, to help you gain a clearer and more compelling vision of Christ exalted and working from His heavenly throne.

For a month’s worth of daily devotions concentrating on Christ and unseen things, order the book Be Thou My Vision from our online store (click here). These 28 meditations bring in resources from the period of the Celtic Revival (ca. 430-800 AD) to help us see the Lord as our forebears in the faith did.

Finally, for a more thorough study of unseen things, order the study guide, The Landscape of Unseen Things, and work your way through these 24 studies which provide a tour de forceof the spiritual realm (click here).

Please prayerfully consider becoming a supporter of The Fellowship of Ailbe. It’s easy to give to The Fellowship of Ailbe, and all gifts are, of course, tax-deductible. You can click here to donate onlinethrough credit card or PayPal, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Dr., Essex Junction, VT 05452.

T. M. Moore, Principal
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

All Psalms for singing from The Ailbe Psalter. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.