“People nowadays take time far more seriously than eternity.”
Thomas Kelly
I’ve noticed something about myself lately that saddens me. I have been failing to look at things with the all too important eternal perspective.
This often happens in my life when we seem to be going through a time of rest. When the bills have all been paid, the family is healthy, and no immediate crisis looms on the horizon, I tend to forget that this world is not my home. I begin to think that something like picking the perfect color of new paint for the bathroom walls is of the utmost importance.
Even though recently I’ve been absent from my blog for the most part, I’ve managed to make time for Facebook. One of my friends there is going through a very difficult time. While explaining all she has been through and continues to endure concerning her daughter’s health, my friend wrote this:
“I’ve yearned for heaven with mute groans and sighs. I’ve lost the love I used to have for this world. I see heaven now not so much as a place to go after I die, but also as a place of complete respite from the heartache that shadows me daily, a place where my daughter will have no genetic defect, no patched-up heart, no worries or differences.”
At the same time as I read her post, as God would have it, my daily Bible reading had me in the book of Hebrews chapters 10 and 11. Reading the incredible testimonies of the saints who’ve gone before us, one can’t help but notice the number of times heaven is mentioned.
God does not make mistakes and the fact that there are various references in His word to our great reward, eternity in heaven with Him, proves to me that eternity is something we should always keep in mind.
Another thing that I couldn’t help but notice was how many times the word persevere or a variation of the word preceded each reminder of our eternity in heaven. When persevering becomes nearly an impossible task, the hope of heaven may be the only thing that gets us out of bed in the morning.
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God,
you will receive what he has promised.
Hebrews 10:36
I know from experience that longing for heaven is something I do when difficulty, suffering, and persecution comes. I also know that more often than not, when I take my eyes off eternity I become obsessed with the temporary and I end up placing far too much emphasis on the things of this world. A new dining room set or planning a vacation become more important to me than the lost souls on my street.
There is a purpose in us knowing the incredible future that is already prepared for every believer; God wants us to keep our eyes on the prize.
He [Moses] regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than
the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
Hebrews 11:26
The world will lie, even deceive us into believing that it has something that can satisfy us. It’s then that a job, a new car, or home, or maybe finding a spouse becomes far too important to us. I confess that as of late my feelings have taken too high a priority. How I emotionally feel today matters far less than I’ve allowed it to the last few months. Slowly though, I’m regaining an eternal perspective.
I don’t want it to take trials and tribulation to correct my perspective; it’s my duty at all times, even at times of rest, to keep the proper focus.
Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one.
Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
Hebrews 11:16
Discussion: Do you find it hard to keep an eternal perspective? Do the things of this world matter to you far more than they should? How does spending time in His word effect your perspective?
