Followers of Jesus Christ, this world is not our home, and by God's grace and power, we should live with that in mind each and every day of our limited time on planet earth. The following verse helps me to remember that.
"Do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day." 2 Peter 3:8
We should always reflect on the fact that our time in eternity with Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father will be centillions of years longer than our brief stint on planet Earth as sojourners and pilgrims. How disappointed we will be if we arrive at heaven and the realization of our frivolous living comes to light. How disappointing that would be for any of us!
At that moment, we would fully realize how rebellious and foolish it was to "seek first" the things and ways of this world instead of seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and reign in our lives.
In retrospect, let me honestly say that a desperately empty feeling engulfed me when I lived for the things and ways of this world. Desolate darkness prevailed inside of me, and that darkness sprung from the absence of God's presence in my life and my disobedience to His commands found in God's Word.
God made us for a relationship with Him, and without Him, we cannot attain any real and lasting satisfaction in life. Worldly satisfaction is so brief and temporary and leaves us empty and continuously wanting more. Without Jesus Christ as Lord in our lives, there is no end to that cycle!
God loves us with incomparably great love. There is nothing in this world that could ever even come close to the Love of God. Let me urge you never to push away from that love or reject His commands! Believe me when I say; you will regret it and wish you had those times back to live again. That's not possible!
The Good news is God can and will take us from this moment in our lives, regardless of where we are, and bring us to where we need to be if we humbly and sincerely ask Him in the name of Jesus Christ.
If we truly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, there is a longing inside us to be spiritually fruitful and obedient to His commands. God will help fulfill that longing in our life so that when we arrive at God's great judgment throne, we will happily hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master." Matthew 25:23.
To hear those words will be the most beautiful moment in our lives and will spring us into an eternity enjoying the pleasures of heaven and the rewards God bequeaths to us. I pray that this little devotional helps us prepare for that moment by taking God's Word with all seriousness and spring-boarding us into a faithful and fruitful life with our Lord Jesus Christ.
God bless you today as you follow Him!