Over in the Blink of an Eye
Have you ever spent a lot of time and money on planning and executing an event such as a wedding, a work event, a birthday party, etc.? How did you feel when it was over? Did you feel like it measured up to your expectations? Or, did you think “Wow, all of that work, and now it’s over. Will people even remember it?”
I recently walked with a friend through her season of being engaged. The months leading up to her wedding were full of planning, shopping, food and cake tasting, guest lists, seating charts, and everything in between. It was a lot of fun and a lot of work, and it all led to a very special and beautiful day. A day that, in the span of only eight hours, ended. After months of planning had come to fruition, before we knew it, my friend was driving off into the sunset with her new husband, and all the guests were headed home to go to sleep. Now, don’t get me wrong, my friend loved her wedding day, and everything went off without a hitch. However, I couldn’t help but think, “Wow, it’s all over in the blink of an eye.”
When I read the story of Esther, I can’t help but think of what King Ahasuerus thought at the end of his life after years of living so lavishly. He lived like anyone imagines a king would live. After all, he spent 180 days displaying his wealth and personal glory (Esther 1:4). But, at the end of his life, we can assume that he didn’t know the Lord. He died as a man who lived a temporary and luxurious life on earth, only to spend the rest of eternity without the loving presence of God.
Evaluating the Treasures of Our Lives
While it’s easy to read of King Ahasuerus and judge his actions, we can be just like him sometimes. What temporary treasures are you storing up on this side of heaven? In Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus tells us:
“Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and devouring insect destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and devouring insect do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
The treasures in heaven Jesus is talking about are treasures that are eternal, such as God’s Word and the souls of people. They are things that we have with us now on earth, but things that will also be with us in heaven.
Yes, God, through His sovereign grace, gives us temporary and earthly gifts designed to bring us joy and glory to Him, but those things are fleeting. They are temporary joys that we can’t take with us into eternity. They don’t bring ultimate satisfaction and purpose. So, what can we take into eternity? We can take what we have learned from God’s Word (i.e. salvation and eternal life by grace through faith in Jesus Christ), and we can bring other souls who have believed in Jesus’s death and resurrection on the cross. Those two things are the only things we can enjoy now on earth and later for all eternity in heaven.
Filtering Life Through an Eternal Perspective
When thinking of your own life, do you put more love and intention into God’s Word and the eternal souls of people, or do you focus more on the earthly gifts that don’t have any eternal significance? God is so loving and kind to give us gifts during our time on earth, but we can’t let the enemy take what the Lord means for our good and His glory to then blind us from our purpose to make Christ known and our eternal destination.
I want to challenge you to take inventory of what the treasures of your heart are. Does your heart long for gifts which will only be present during your time on earth, or does your heart long for eternal things like God’s Word and the souls of His people to know Him? I pray we all take inventory this week to really understand where our treasures are. May the Lord show us grace as we realign our hearts to Him and His people– the eternal treasures that won’t waste away or be forgotten.
One Response
I currently live in an ALF I took on the responsibility to welcome all the new residents to the facility. I spend a lot of time coordinating their first day here, with a luncheon and about 6 other residents. Sometimes I do wonder if they remember. I started to make the new residents a little housewarming gift. They don’t remember the luncheon, but they keep the gift close to their hearts. This warmed my heart.