The Living Object of My Heart
When the fog lifts and the view becomes clear, we see not just where we are—but who is waiting there with us.
"📚 Devotional Credit:
Adapted from Abide Above
📸 Photo Credit:
Unsplash
Miles Stanford begins with a rare insight—one that pierces the heart of our restless striving: that most Christians remain unhappy not because they don’t know truth, but because they aren’t abiding in the Person of Christ. It’s possible to intellectually grasp our spiritual position—raised and seated with Christ in the heavenlies—yet remain emotionally and spiritually disconnected from the One who put us there.
There’s a subtle danger in stopping at positional truth. If we cling only to the idea of being in Christ without actively drawing near to Christ Himself, our experience remains flat. The joy we expected feels theoretical, not relational. And the reason is simple—we’re not meant to worship a concept, but a living Person. Christ is not just a past figure of historical redemption; He is our present risen Lord, seated in glory, and He beckons us into ongoing fellowship with Himself.
It was a breakthrough moment for one writer in Stanford’s post when he stopped thinking of Jesus as someone from long ago and instead began relating to Him as a glorified, living presence in heaven—a present-tense Savior who is both our Object and our joy. And this is the heartbeat of abiding: not merely knowing about our place in Him, but walking moment-by-moment with Him who placed us there.
The truth that we are seated with Him in heavenly places becomes experiential as we set our affections not on the things of this world, but on the Living One who holds all things together. This is where abiding becomes more than theory. It becomes joy.
📓 Personalized Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture:
You are not called to live beneath your circumstances, but above them—with Me. I raised you with Christ. I seated you with Him. I clothed you with His righteousness. These are not distant theological statements; they are present realities anchored in My eternal plan. But more than knowing where you sit, I want you to know who sits beside you.
I am the One who placed you in Him. I am the One who made you alive. But My greatest gift is not a place—it is a Person. The glory of your position is to draw you nearer to the risen Lord. He is not far away in memory, but near in glory. His heart beats for you still.
Set your affection there. Let the eyes of your soul rest on the brightness of His presence. Let your mind be renewed by heavenly truth, and your desires stirred by the sweetness of the One who loves you without condition. I have made Him your life—not just your destination, but your daily delight.
When your gaze is fixed above, you will no longer be tossed below. You will walk through your day with the peace of one whose joy is not in outcomes, but in Me. You are hidden with Christ in God, and nothing can dislodge you from that rest.
Scripture References: Ephesians 2:4–6; Colossians 3:1–4; Hebrews 12:2; Romans 6:4–5; Philippians 3:10; John 15:4–5; Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 3:18; John 17:24; 1 Peter 1:8
🪟 Real-Life Analogy:
Imagine looking through a fogged-up window on a cold morning. At first, all you see is blur. But as the glass warms, the moisture clears, and what was once distant becomes vivid.
In much the same way, our view of Christ often starts hazy. We may know about Him—our position, our place—but our hearts long to see Him. As we warm to His presence by setting our affections above, the fog lifts. Suddenly, we’re not just thinking of doctrine—we’re engaging with a Person.
So as you prepare your morning coffee or fold laundry or sit in a meeting today, yield your inner gaze to Him. Whisper in your heart, “Lord, I trust You to live Your life in me and through me in this moment.” Whether you’re answering an email or making dinner, He delights to make His presence known right there—clearer, nearer, brighter than ever.
🙏 Prayer of Confidence:
Jesus, You are not just the One who saved me—You are the One who lives for me, in me, and through me now. Thank You for placing me with You in heavenly places and for being the Object of my affection. I no longer look to earth to define my joy or peace. My heart is fixed above, where You are, and in that gaze, I rest. I yield this day to Your life in me, trusting that every moment of abiding will be filled with the fullness You already provide.