People have felt this way about things
in their lives. A man’s lifetime collection of matchbox cars or trains, etc.,
sells in a yard sale or an auction and is gone in a moment. A family’s home
with all their memories goes up in flames or is swept away by flood. A World
Trade Center collapses in hours after a terrorist attack. A village is leveled
in an earthquake that lasts only a few seconds. One surgery and a life’s
savings is wiped out.
A moment can change everything in
our lives. We don’t know what a day will bring forth. Yet in our minds we think
of the stuff of our lives as if it was going to last forever… as if we were
going to last forever in possession of it. But life doesn’t work like that.
While we may have a few years to “enjoy” the blessings of God in our lives
(whether or not we recognize Him for them), the things of this world are
already passing away. They are only passing “through” our hands. Try as we may,
we can hold nothing forever.
I feel very sorry for the person so
attached to a thing that he is overwhelmed with grief and inconsolable at its
loss. Certainly it is natural to be sad when we have to “move on” from things –
and even sadder when the loss is a person or relationship. Yet we can lose both
things and people in a moment, and how our life changes… unless our life does
not revolve around that thing or person. If we have held it/them “loosely” –
recognizing they aren’t ours to keep (they don’t belong to us) – and if we have
not built our lives on them, but on something, or Someone else, then we will be
able to let go. We will be able to move on. We will even be able to experience
joyfulness and peace.
We so need the Lord to be the One of
ultimate importance in our lives. Everything and everyone else is passing away,
but not Him. There is nothing but gain when He is Lord of our lives, even
through the earthly losses and hardships of this life. May His Spirit help us to
see and believe this today.
Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV) 24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and
puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat
against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the
rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does
not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat
against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
Philippians 3:8
(NIV) 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to
the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have
lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.
1 Corinthians 7:31 (NIV) 31 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 Timothy 6:7
(NIV) 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take
nothing out of it.
Job 1:21 (NIV) 21 and (Job) said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and
naked I will depart. The LORD gave
and the LORD has taken away; may
the name of the LORD be
praised."
PRAYER: Father, thank you for the blessings of this
life. Lead me to hold them loosely, and to never let them take your place in my
life. Let me always love the Giver more than the gifts you give. Help me to see
the world for what it is: passing away. Thank you that all things eternal are
in your strong hands. Thank you for giving me eternal life through Jesus
Christ, your Son. May he be glorified in the daily priorities of my life, and
may I be prepared to lose everything for his sake. With thanksgiving I pray, in
Jesus’ name, AMEN.”
Jesus Christ is Lord!
Scott
No comments:
Post a Comment