At
times, living for the sake of the Kingdom of God will take some sacrifice on
our part; however, we will gain so much more both in this life than we give up
now, and also in our eternal life in the age to come (Luke 18:29-30).
We
will reap the assurance of the things we hoped for by faith, and the honest conviction
of the things we cannot even see in this natural world (Hebrews 11:1). One
sacrifice I had to make was not seeing my grandchildren very often.
They
live in Missouri, and I lived in the southern-most tip of Florida on the border
of the Everglades. God had plans for us in a South Florida church for just shy
of 20 years. We loved the people there and saw many saved and discipled.
Recently,
however, God moved us to within three hours of where my grandchildren live, and
I am able to see them more often when our schedules coincide. It is quite a
long round trip stretch, but well worth the time spent with them.
However,
I long to be involved in their lives on a daily basis. I did not want to be
satisfied with an occasional visit, or an eternal perspective on this issue. I
wanted to be with them now, as well as in eternity.
This
realization made me recognize yet another level of attachment to this world,
which remained entrenched in my soul. This thought caused the Holy Spirit to
drench me with a double dose of conviction.
Sure,
I have no affection for material possessions, worldly success, or recognition
of any kind. Yet, after almost 50 years of walking with God on an intimate
basis, I realized that part of me is still very much bound to this world - the
grandma part of me.
Prayer:
Father
God, You are not as interested in our natural family as You are in our
spiritual family (Mark 10:29-30, Luke 18: 29-30, and Matthew 19:29; Luke 21:16,
17). Jesus felt this same distance from His own friends and family; and the
servant is not greater than her Lord (John 15:20).
In
eternity, You will free us from all of these natural barriers and conditions
that strap us to this earthly sphere. The moment we are absent from this body,
we will be present with You, Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8), and we will know and be
known for eternity (1 Corinthians 13:12).
Thought
for the Day:
God’s
reality looks nothing like our earthly existence, and we rely on the Lord to
give us both the desire and the power to live out His will for us while we
remain in this realm, regardless of the circumstances in our life.
-
Philippians 2:12-13
