Many of us may be happier than we think we are, based on the abundance in our lives of the little things that happiness is really made out of. Let’s not despise the little sources of happiness. Let’s not miss what is available to us.
Some of our tasks seem impossible. And so we do nothing. Fearing failure, we fail to act at all. But like the unfaithful servant who was rebuked for having done nothing with his master’s money, we may hear our Lord’s rebuke for what we didn’t do.
The question is not at what point we are satisfied, but at what point God is satisfied. And He will not be satisfied until we have been returned to the perfectly glorious image of holiness that He had in mind when He created us.
The trumpet-blast of the Lord’s return will arouse us to a life that will be life indeed. If we are found in Christ, the thunderous voice of the archangel will open our eyes to the real life we were created to enjoy, and we will enjoy it forever.
The Lord’s first appearing occurred “when the fullness of the time had come,” and His final appearing will also be timed perfectly. Meanwhile, we can wait in faith and hope and love. We can be faithful in His work, ready and waiting to see His face.
When we see life’s sun setting and we know our time is running out, we tend to see what’s important more clearly. But in truth, we don’t have to wait until old age or a dire doctor’s report. We can concentrate on what’s most important right now.
We should not miss the opportunities presented by our problems. It’s good to have the courage to face our difficulties, but we can do better than just be courageous. We can see in our difficulties the productive possibilities that they offer to us.
Truth is what we’ll be tested by. Death will strip us of every advantage we’ve ever gained by sidestepping the truth. So, my friend, is there anything about you that is going to last? Time will surely tell. “Death cancels everything but truth.”
While life under the sun lasts, we had better be thinking about life beyond the sun. Death is coming, and we need to ask whether we’re doing anything that won’t be erased by that event. Only one such thing is available to us, and that is godliness.
Short of heaven, I don’t want to hear the Lord say, “You have your reward.” I don’t want anything in this world — or all of it put together. What I want can’t be had in this world, and that’s a sinless, eternal relationship with my God in heaven.
