“Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail.” – Isaiah 51:6
What have you had to replace recently?
I was talking with an A/C repair guy a few months ago. One of the questions I asked him was how long A/C units are supposed to last. He told me units used to easily last 15-20+ years. These days, however, you’re lucky to get 15 years out of a unit.
They just don’t make them like they used to.
You’ve probably heard that phrase before. It seems to be the case with so many things these days.
Have you ever thought that about the earth or the heavens?
Look up at the sky. Take a long look at the stars. One day they will be gone. Look at the earth beneath your feet. It too will be destroyed. Look all around you. The cars, the buildings, and even the people will all decay. If you are young, just ask one of your more seasoned friends. These bodies of ours start to fall apart after a while. That’s what sin does to things.
The earth and heavens won’t last, but one day they will.
God’s righteousness will not fail nor will His salvation. One day, the dead will be raised and those Christians still alive will join the Lord in the sky as He returns and judges all people. Then, those who are in Christ, will be given new bodies that will not get sick and will never die or decay.
God will create a new heaven and a new earth.
There will be no sin and no death, only peace, life, and righteousness. This heaven and earth as well as our new bodies will be made to last, not for 15-20 years or even 1500-2000 years, but for all time…for eternity.
So, focus on that which is eternal.
It makes no sense to invest all your time and energy in things that will only last a short time. Invest your time and energy on things that will last into eternity.
Heavenly Father,
Open my eyes to the temporary nature of all that is around me and draw me towards that which is eternal, love, the Gospel, and all those who will receive the Gospel. Also, guard me against despairing over the inevitable fact that all the earthly things around me, even my own body, will fall apart. Instead, focus my mind on Your sure promise of eternal life and a new heaven and new earth.
“those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.” – 1 Corinthians 7:31
What do you truly long for in life?
Take a look around you. What do you see that will last forever?
Other than the people around you, nothing will last forever, and even their bodies will return to dust. Your home will eventually fall apart. Your car will break down and rust away. Your computer will become outdated and get junked. It’s all going away.
Not Evil Does this make all these things useless or evil? There are some who would claim that having any of these things is wrong. However, the Bible doesn’t tell us that. In fact, the Bible gives plenty of stories and commands regarding using the things of this world. We care for the poor. We provide for our family. Ecclesiastes even says we should enjoy them!
Not Engrossed in Them The Bible, however, also tells us to keep these things in perspective. They are not the end to be sought. They will not bring eternal joy or benefit. They will pass away. So, don’t be engrossed in them. Don’t allow the stuff of life to become your sole or primary focus. It’s there for your use and your enjoyment.
A carpenter doesn’t go out and buy a hammer just to have a hammer. They want the hammer so they can use it to build. These earthly things in our lives are, essentially, tools to be used. Use them wisely.
Think about the ways you can use them for the good of yourself and others and for the glory of God. Use the temporal things for the benefit of eternal things. Enjoy them, but keep them in perspective. Or, as I’ve heard it said before…
“You own your stuff. Don’t be owned by your stuff.”
Heavenly Father,
You are the great provider. You give us all that we need for life and salvation. Thank You for the temporal, earthly things You have given me. Help me to keep them in their proper perspective and not be engrossed in them. Help me to use them for my good, the good of others, and your glory.
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” – Matthew 24:35
When was the last time you cleaned out your house?
Every now and then my family has to take a few days (or longer) and start going through what we have. Especially with kids, we accumulate things and some of them we don’t ever use anymore. They just clutter up the house.
The Usefulness of Less Sometimes we can feel like more is better, but there’s an interesting thing that happens when you get more. We have limits. The more we get doesn’t mean we can use more things, it often just changes what things we use. In some cases, it actually decreases how much we use.
Have you ever looked at a menu that had 10 pages of food? Most people look at a menu like that and freeze. There are too many options and they can’t make a choice. The same can happen when we have too much stuff. We use less. We may actually be missing out on using some very useful, helpful things because we don’t see them or remember them. Many restaurants intentionally limit the size of their menu because of this. We can do the same with our stuff.
When was the last time you cleaned out your life?
Just like we can have too much stuff in our house, we can have too many activities and commitments in our lives. The overabundance of things we do can prevent us from focusing on the things that are really important. We focus on the temporary at the expense of the eternal.
We are constantly “doing” and get worn out doing it, but we aren’t doing the things that are truly good and helpful.
Just like with the house, sometimes we have to stop and clean out our lives. We can take a look at what we are actually spending our time on. Evaluate it. Consider what we don’t really need to do and maybe some things we really should be doing, but aren’t.
This week, consider hitting the pause button and evaluate your schedule. You may find a way to do less, but accomplish something much more meaningful and long-lasting.
Heavenly Father,
Give me wisdom as I look at my life. Give me discernment as I evaluate the things I do with my time and help me to focus on what is truly important.