Have you read the news lately?
Have you been discouraged by what is on the television?
Our lives may become so enthralled with the physical that we can easily forget the beauty of the heavenly realm. The early church had similar problems, yet Paul reminded them the true treasure is not found with eye sight, but faith sight.
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4.16-18; ESV; Emphasis Mine – CMG)
As followers of a man, if indeed we can call him a man, who left a rock-hewn tomb and walked among this world for the second time before he ascended to the Promised Land which awaits all of those sealed with the guarantee of the Spirit. Why should we focus on the daily headlines of doom and gloom when we should be proclaiming the heavenly land of promise to the earthly land blazon with leaders of unpromise?
Let us join together, knowing that we are surround by so great a cloud of witnesses, and begin sharing encouraging proclamations that there is more than a tangible world has to offer. The bricks and mortar of the earth will be replaced with the crowing jewels of a heavenly crown! The kitchen table of physical food will be put aside by the banquet table of the Father. The time on earth is just time, but in heaven, time does not exist or do any of the souls expire. The beauty of heaven is seen from non- beginning to non-end; for time does not exist. Where there is no time, there is eternity. Where there is eternity there is God. Where there is God, there you should be too!
Even before we made our mistakes, took our missteps and moved in the wrong way, God was sending His only Son for us. While we wandered from from the safety of Him, He was still encouraging us to follow His Son. He reached towards us as far as His almighty arms can reach and waited for us to turn back to Him. He, like the lost son’s father of Luke 15, waited by that eternal window and ran toward us with the garment of Christ when we came to Him. He bestowed grace on those not worthy of grace. It was that bestowing to the unworthy that brought grace into full existence. Grace brings mercy, mercy brings pardon, pardon brings cleansing, cleansing brings the blood of the innocent One to cover us so we may live…and live we can.
Why are you waiting? Reach out your hand to the discouraged and share with them the Saviors courage!
Though the nations rage and the mountains crumble, God will shelter us under the shadow of His wing, the refuge of our souls will vanquish the enemy of death and a room await — a room in the mansion of the Father awaits those who are found in the cleansing power of the Savior.
Who will you encourage today?
“But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Hebrews 3.13; ESV)
Just a thought,
