Written by Dawn Rutan
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. The views stated may or may not reflect the beliefs of the pastor or leadership of Dulin’s Grove Church.
