Eyes on the Prize?

   

I drove past the house for many years and somehow became aware of the life changes that were going on there over time. At first there were two people sitting out front or walking their dogs. An RV was parked in the drive, the lawn was neatly cut. Then I noticed the RV was gone one day.  A couple of seasons came and went.  The care of the property declined, evidence of aging owners. Then as I drove by I noticed there was just one walking alone.  Another season passed and I saw no one, though there were younger people often at the house. Then, a few weeks ago, the "for sale" sign appeared.  Shortly thereafter I noted a dumpster in front of the garage that was piled high with the ‘stuff.’  

What a parable for this transitory life!

Does that little story leave you depressed? It surely will IF you live with a singular focus only on those things which will inevitably be taken from each of us in time. Solomon, the cynic, was old, near the end of his life. He had wasted so much time and effort trying to capture happiness and ends up muttering that ‘all is meaningless.’  For a few chapters he rages at the vanity of wealth, pleasure, accomplishments, and fame. Then he shifts his attention to the spiritual, remembering that we are more than flesh and blood. He urges wisdom and reflection on the ways of the Lord, all the while reminding us to live fully today. Finally he counsels this- "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them.” (Ecclesiastes 12:1, NIV)

Stephen Covey wrote about 7 habits of those who live best. The second principle is – “Begin with the End in Mind.”  Remembering our mortality is not an exercise in gloom. It is a way to avoid the diversions that will eat up our time and resources. Many tombs in churches in Europe during the late Middle Ages and early modern age included memento mori  (Latin for “Remember death”).  Paintings or sculptures often included a skull to remind the living that life is passing. We do just about everything possible to avoid our own mortality and we are less wise in those choices.  But without memento mori we tend to superficiality giving ourselves to things of little value.

Paul was inspired to teach us in this way. "For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down—when we die and leave these bodies—we will have a home in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long for the day when we will put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will not be spirits without bodies, but we will put on new heavenly bodies. Our dying bodies make us groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and have no bodies at all. We want to slip into our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by everlasting life. God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:1-6, NLT)

When we love others, an eternal treasure is created.
When we live with gentleness and forgiveness, we create lasting treasure.
When we serve with faithful joy, we create a rich reward.
When we worship in ‘spirit and in truth,’ we touch Heaven and learn to love our God.

Are your eyes on the prize of the higher calling?

Jesus’ words are our word from the Word. Let them live in your mind and heart, making you wise today.  “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten by moths and get rusty, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth-eaten or rusty and where they will be safe from thieves." (Matthew 6:19-20, NLT)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou my vision
O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me
Save that Thou art
Thou my best thought
By day or by night
Waking or sleeping
Thy presence my light

Be Thou my wisdom
Be Thou my true Word
I ever with Thee
And Thou with me Lord
Thou my great Father
I Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling
And I with Thee one

Riches I heed not
Nor man's empty praise
Thou mine inheritance
Now and always
Thou and Thou only
Be first in my heart
High King of heaven
My treasure Thou art

High King of heaven
When vict'ry is won
May I reach heaven's joys
O bright heaven's Sun
Heart of my own heart
Whatever befall
Still be my vision
O Ruler of all

Eleanor Henrietta Hull | Mary Elizabeth Byrne

• © Words: Public Domain