“The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.” (James 1:11 NLT)
Everything we see with our eyes, except human beings, will one day be destroyed and cease to exist. For someone who isn’t a Jesus follower to try to take that thought to heart is very difficult. It’s unimaginable. But the real kicker is – YOU and I are stamped with an expiration date. This life on planet earth is temporary, but our soul, the essence of who we are, will live forever…someplace!
The staggering reality of that claim attacks us every time a loved one or friend dies, or even when a beloved pet is taken from us. Death is harsh and hard and is no respecter of persons. The rich, the poor, and everyone in between are mortal beings whose body will one day die.
The good news is, death and the grave have been overcome by the Hero of Heaven, the Savior, Jesus. He did what no other human being has or ever could do – He died in our place to pay the penalty for our sin. He shed His priceless blood to free us from the tyranny of sin and deliver us into a right relationship with our heavenly Father. That’s all that really matters on this earth.
To miss that relationship is to miss everything! Nothing + Jesus = EVERYTHING! He is the embodiment of all truth, the lover of our soul, the provider of our every need, the deliverer from every torment, trial, or trouble, and, gratefully, He has promised a home in heaven when this tired, old body gives out. Jesus is literally the Gift that keeps on giving.
Jared C. Wilson said: “Satan wants us to find in the gifts what can only be found in the Giver.” Satan’s plan is to distract us with glitter and glamour, hoping we’ll miss the Gift of life that can only be found in knowing, loving, and serving Jesus. He’s the Treasure, not the things of this world.
Seasons End (Ben Lippens) “Used by permission, © Ray Majoran, GlimpseOfInfinity.com”
Ben Lippens wrote: “All earthly things are given a start and end date. This butterfly, this flower, and everything around it, including you and I, all have an end date. And it doesn’t matter how great we think we or something else may be. It will come to an end. Things of the Spirit, like the Word of God or salvation itself, are quite the opposite. They are eternal. While on this earth, let’s set our focus toward the eternal, the things that matter most, so the Creator is known more than His creation.”
The goal of our soul’s bitter enemy is to have us so focused on what is temporal, we miss the eternal. He doesn’t have to make us bad, just keep us so busy we forget to think about and live like Jesus. Wherever our mind is our heart will follow. What we think about comes about! Think about temporal things and they become our frame of reference, often negating any hope of allowing Jesus to live His life out through us.
What really matters to you? What are the things on which you spend the most time and money? Remember, where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matthew 6:21). Is your family precious to you? Friends? Vocation? Church? Travel? Vacations? Whatever matters to you, please view it through the lens of eternity.
Does that mean you should never do anything that doesn’t have spiritual implications? Well, the reality is, everything DOES have spiritual implications, but realize that Jesus is interested in EVERY area of your life, thus can be your constant companion regardless of what you’re doing.
Our priorities will reveal what really matters to us. Just understand they also reveal who owns our heart – who or what is our real treasure.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 