06/27/2017
Am I placing my focus on the eternal, or concentrating my efforts on those things that are fleeting, and that will fall away? Is my pride in the possessions of this world, at the demise of my very soul that lives forever? This is my thought today as I seek to redirect my attention towards the single most important attribute of my life.
“And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold, I am bringing disaster upon all flesh, declares the Lord. But I will give you your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go."”
Jeremiah 45:5 ESV
The Lord told Jeremiah that He was giving him his life, and would protect him. He has given us our lives as well, but how will we spend them? Will we do those things that God wishes, like Jeremiah, or will we spend them chasing our own vanities?
I have good health, a beautiful wife, a wonderful home, children, grandchildren, and wealth enough to comfort me, but what matters in these things is this... my health is given to be in service to God, I have a wife that I share my faith, love and life with, just as my Father taught me, my children and grandchildren honor me and are learning to serve the Lord by witnessing the way I live each day, and the bounty of my life is loaned me as provision from my Heavenly Father. Everything in my life is of and for the glory of God, and my relationship with Him, (which is redeemed, and sealed by the blood of Jesus Christ), and is but a blink of an eye, when compared to what He is preparing me for. So in what should I take pride, and where should my efforts be spent?
Are these things I have spoken of, as valuable as they are to me, those that should matter most, and what are the lessons in them? Job had all of the selfsame things and yet they were taken from Him... every one. What remained was His faith in God, and when we stop to look at what the true treasure was that Satan sought from Him... we find it to be his love and faith in God. This was that gem of great value. This was the one thing that once stolen could not be replaced. All else was returned to Job at the end of his ordeal because he would not give up his faith.
“And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.”
Job 42:10 ESV
We should love, walk, and serve God in our lives with the full understanding that everything we possess and hold dear is from Him and that even our bodies will one day return to dust. We should realize that the everlasting pearl of great value that we carry within us is our faith in a God, and that all else is dressing for us.
Job understood this from the very beginning of his temptation, and held firmly to his pearl, his soul, through all the suffering. We read this when he said:
“And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.”
Job 1:21-22 ESV
I am not saying that our spouses and children are not valuable... they are... but not just because of us and our love for them, but rather, because of the pearl that each of them carries within, and which will one day be the treasure they will present to God... in the same way as you and I will present ours.
So our focus in life should be on God above all else, and when we do this, then our health, loves, and provisions will become the subjects of our thanks and praise Him. To this end, we will understand that all things, including our life, flow from Him, and we will live our lives to glorify His name. If we direct our efforts in this way then we will remain in God's will always, and never need to fear because He will be with us.
“Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord."”
Jeremiah 1:8 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for all the blessings you surround me with. Thank you for the wife, home, children, grandchildren, and provisions you have given me. I acknowledge these gifts as being from you, and I thank you for them every day. Holy Father, I realize the responsibility that you have entrusted me with as my life is spent in your service and in leading my family in a godly fashion. Help me Lord to be an example to them of your love and steadfast nature; let them see you in me, so that one day you can gather these pearls of great value, that reside in each of them, to you. Most Gracious Lord, polish me, and remove the tarnish of pride that clouds the true reflection of you. I pray that my life will be spent with its focus always on you, and that in nothing, save my faith in you, will I be judged, and in that I will be found faultless through the blood of Jesus. Praised be your name Father, and from you all blessings flow.
Rich Forbes