"... The problem is we might forget that in the grand scheme of things (namely eternity), we have about five seconds on earth to make our lives count..." - Louie Giglio, Pastor of Passion City Church, Founder of Passion Conferences.
I think some of us have a vision problem...
... Depending on the individual severity, the number of symptoms and their effects due to Persistently Recurring Human Myopia can vary greatly, but some of us definitely have a vision problem. Some are fooled into embracing this life as though it's the life that God intends for us, but it's not. And some may forego the life eternal in favor of it and its perishing passions instead of recognizing the true power, passion and plan of The God who created heaven and earth and everything in them. His plan for us is invested in a life beyond this one, but the choice to hear Him and submit to that plan is ours.
" ‘Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; nor is there any who can deliver from My hand." Deuteronomy 32:39 (NKJ)
What possible attraction, problem or circumstance should we possibly see more clearly than God or hold as our highest perspective as we plod on through this life toward its intended conclusion? It's true that there's more to our God than this one verse brings to our potentially tainted eyes, but nothing should be allowed to rise to the forefront of our eyes to ever distract our view of our God and the purpose that He's given for us to have the opportunity to have truly meaningful life and the far greater prospect of life beyond.
God reigns supreme, sovereign and with terrifying power, but I think we also may have a respect problem...
...If we truly and sincerely believed God, I wonder how our lives would change. How would we change the priorities of our lives to keep consideration of Him first in, and above, everything? If we were to have reverent, holy fear of Him - true and absolute respect, recognizing our true frailty before Him, how much different would our lives truly be? And if we truly respect and love God, would we not have ultimate respect for His feelings as well as His commandments?
"‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments." Deuteronomy 5:8-10 (NKJ)
What do we make idols of? Are there things that we give lofty position to, things that we allow to compete with the God of the universe? If we truly love God, wouldn't our hearts become entwined with genuine interest, in loyalty and tenderness, to His own heart? I think some of us may have a love problem...
...The world around us has perverted and profaned the word love, but the true definition of love is what God is, and what He has ordained as holy, but the world has relegated it to changeable, emotional feeling with little real, value and has also confused it with perishing lust. True and abiding love - the kind of love that God is, seems to be something that the world more readily mocks than embraces. Only one kind of love though, true love, will stand the test though when God brings judgement - and He most certainly will.
"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." 1 John 4:7-11 (NKJ)
"Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31 (NKJ)
The world is intent on making this short life all about itself and dragging us into its perspective, but as Louie's statement points out at the beginning of my post here "we have about five seconds on earth to make our lives count". And there's only one judge in the end that decides our success in counting.
"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." Galatians 6:7-10 (NKJ)
Here's a little something worthy of note for anyone seeking relationship with God and His presence in their daily lives: "But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him." 1Corinthians 8:3 (NKJ)
Hey, it's all there in God's love letter (bible) to mankind - everything we need to know. We just need His perspective continually - not the world's, in order to see it clearly. He'll give it to us if we sincerely seek both Him and it. It's His passion for us to know Him as He is - all that He is, and to live in relationship with Him eternally. His perspective is the one that gets us there.
"He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8 (NKJ)
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good? Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it." Deuteronomy 10:12-14 (NKJ)
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