Are we dwellers on earth, or in spirit in heaven? Are we so busy and taken up with this scene down here that it looks as if we were of it, or have we Christ's character? Our Lord was so completely separate that He could find no joy here. This world ought not to be the place where our hearts find their nourishment and occupation. It will not be so if the Spirit occupies us with the things of Christ, and our hearts are set on Him; He in heaven will be our Object, and the things of the world cannot then lay hold of our affections.
There should be no point down here, nothing to hold us save being linked up with. Christ where He is. We want that Nazarite power, so as to be associated with Christ up there, that be it what it may that would lead captive down here, we can let it go and be occupied only with Christ all the way on to the glory where we are to be with Him.
When God has brought people into this relationship, His love does desire that they, as His people, should serve Him; but how? Ah! He says, Give a cup of cold water—keep your garments clean—go and visit the sick and the widow—keep yourselves unspotted from the world.