Let Us Go On (September 13)
Whatever the reasons for our fixation on the past may be, we need to work on overcoming them. The Hebrew writer said, “Let us go on to perfection.” At times, we may need some help in seeing the importance of that effort.
A Foretaste of Hell (September 12)
We must picture hell as a state where everyone is perpetually concerned about his own dignity and advancement, where everyone has a grievance, and where everyone lives the deadly serious passions of envy, self-importance, and resentment.
A Better Country (September 11)
To be a Christian means that we are continuing to grow. Never content with the progress we’ve made so far, we are always reaching for higher goals tomorrow. So we should not hesitate to say that the future will be the best of all.
Paul, the Aged (September 10)
In our resurrected and glorified bodies, we’ll enjoy an eternal maturity and wisdom that are unhindered by the disabilities that affect our joy and usefulness in this world. We will be perfectly “aged.” We’ll enjoy all the advantages of having “grown up.”
Bearing Burdens for a Long Time (September 9)
Let us not dictate to God the terms of our service to Him. He asks of us an unconditional commitment to serve under any circumstances. When our service involves difficulty, as it often will, let us endure. Even when we can’t see the end, let us still endure.
The Blessed Are Those Who Endure (September 8)
The work of the kingdom is hard work. We need to take heed how we deal with difficulty. The Lord has always been patient with those who are willing to keep trying. But those who quit trying shouldn’t expect the Lord’s praise or anybody else’s.
After the Drama: An Interview (September 7)
At judgment some will hear the words “Well done” (Matthew 25:21), while others will hear “Depart from Me” (Matthew 7:23). But remember one thing well: the inquiry will be about the role that was actually ours — not the role that was somebody else’s.
Responding Rightly to the Past (September 6)
Are our memories changing us for the better? Are they making us more humble and penitent? Are we becoming more reverent and grateful? As we reflect on what has happened in our lives, are those reflections turning us into more obedient people?
When Moonlight Falls Across the Floor (September 5)
I want to suggest that being awake while the world is asleep is not necessarily bad. The handful of times when I have had the deepest communion with God and the clearest insight into reality have been in the watches of the night.
Better Off Not Knowing (September 4)
Our reaching forward is not to anything in this life. What we are reaching forward to is heaven, and it simply doesn’t matter what tomorrow may bring in this world. The future will come eventually, but today is the day we must prepare for it.