This video from Francis Chan has
been circulating on Facebook: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86dsfBbZfWs
It presents some good food for
thought as we compare the brevity of this life with what awaits us in eternity.
Probably the first thing that comes to mind is how we should set our priorities
for the way we live and what we hope to achieve. The American dream of saving
all we can for retirement so we can enjoy those latter few years is one that we
all need to wrestle with. Is that the wisest use of our time and energy in this
short life? But I think there is something even more basic for daily living—how
do my choices this day, or this moment, line up with an eternity with God? Does
this activity contribute to the Kingdom of God or take away from it? Probably
most of us don’t consider ourselves very earthly minded, but it can be a
challenge to prioritize eternity over the temporal. We may not be concerned
with amassing riches or planning for retirement, but we can be easily
distracted by the pursuit of pleasure here and now.
It shouldn’t matter whether our
work is satisfying, our house is paid for, or even if our relationships are
fulfilling, but whether we are living lives that reflect God’s righteousness
and strength. This life is but a hairbreadth of eternity, where there will be
joy unceasing (Isaiah 35:10) and pleasures forevermore at His right hand (Psalm
16:11). The attractions of sin and superficial entertainment should pale in
comparison. We need God’s constant mercy, grace, and guidance to put things
back in perspective.
“For all that is in
the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of life and pride of life—is
not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along
with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John
2:16-17 ESV). The priorities of this world will always lead us astray because
they take our focus off of God and put it on ourselves and how we compare to
everyone around us. However, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from
above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or
shadow due to change” (James 1:17). If He is our focus, then we can enjoy the
blessings He gives while looking ahead to a blessed eternity with Him.
This is a truth that needs to
be brought to our attention frequently. When work is frustrating, when family
and friends disappoint us, when trials and temptations assail us, when death
separates us—then we need to look and see that this life is quickly passing,
but it is just a prelude to eternity. There we will be able to enjoy perfect
relationships, perfect peace, and perfect lives with the One who made us for
Himself.
I think most of us want to make
wise choices and use our time well, but it’s easy to lose focus and start
letting things slide. Although I’m not a big fan of the “What Would Jesus Do”
fad, I think it does help to remind us where our focus should be. There are
other equally profitable questions we can ask: Why am I doing this? Why am I
dwelling on this problem? What is the ultimate benefit to this activity? Whose
goals does this fulfill? Will this matter tomorrow, next year, ten years from
now? Is there something else I should be doing? While such questions have
guided some of my choices in how I use my time, I find that I need to be even
more intentional in seeking God’s will for today that will lead me on the right
path for eternity. Nearly every day my prayers include some variation of “Lead
me in paths of righteousness,” “teach me,” “guide me,” “help me.”
I came across this quote from
Warren Wiersbe this week, “We must want Him alone, for when we have Him, we
also have all that He owns. It’s not the gifts that we seek, but the Giver” (Be Committed). My ongoing prayer is that
I would want Him more than anything else, and that I would make choices that would
reflect that reality in my life.
“We look not to the things that are
seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are
transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).© 2016 Dawn Rutan.
