Of Eternal Significance
By Lois J. Stucky
Someone has wisely exhorted us to "Ever live with eternity’s values in view." That is related to the apostle Paul’s admonition found in Second Corinthians 4:18 and 5:7: "…look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal…we walk by faith, not by sight."
Our life as born-again Christians began as we "saw" with the look of faith, the atoning death of Christ on Calvary and believed it. Now we rejoice in the blessed assurance, the witness of the Spirit, that we possess the precious gift of eternal life, unseen but promised, and we have the joy of contemplating living in the presence of our dear Lord and Savior forever! (John 3:16).
As we began our walk with Christ by "seeing" the unseen, so we live the Christian life day by day "seeing" that which has to do with eternity and giving ourselves to it. Though we do not see Christ, we sense He is leading us ever onward and upward, "from glory to glory" (2 Cor. 3:18). We are being changed by the Holy Spirit into the image of Christ. Peter speaks of the God of all grace calling us "unto His eternal glory" (1 Pet. 5:10). Again we are told that God is seeking to bring "many sons unto glory" (Heb. 2:10). With such a glorious and undeserved calling upon us, we ought to aspire to obtaining the full "weight of glory" that God’s heart desires to be ours in eternity (2 Cor. 4:17). Are we willing to pay the price for that?
It is no easy thing in today’s society, to hold eternal values ever in view, and to diligently aim our lives in that direction. We know well Jesus’ admonition to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33). We must make our way past the many diversions. If we are not sidetracked by the trivial, worthless pursuits of life on one hand, we might be almost smothered by weighty cares on the other. The temptation is to be so self-indulgent on one hand as to be lethargic in spiritual things or to develop such enthusiastic zeal as to over involve ourselves on the other. Continually there are choices before us and decisions to make, sorting the good from the best, the temporal from the eternal. It takes discipline to seek to live each day governed by His guiding hand, and to spend our life, our time, our all, as belonging not to ourselves but to Him who has purchased us with His precious blood.
God has made provision through the power of the Holy Spirit for our enabling to do the good things He purposes for us to do for His eternal kingdom. He so readily helps when we ask. He greatly encourages us with His word that He is a "rewarder" of those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6). He will faithfully keep His word. Might we examine our priorities regularly, and sincerely seek to be one who brings pleasure to His heart, renouncing our will and our way for His.
How diligent we must be lest we lose the opportunities He gives us to make our lives count most for eternity. By putting off obedience to His biddings to a more convenient day we may lose them altogether. So quickly time slips away into eternity. The Bible tells us that compared to eternity, our life is like a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away (Jas. 4:14) or as short-lived as the blade of grass which soon falls into the ground and dies (Psa. 103:15-16). Someone has written: "Only one life, ’twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last."
All for Jesus!
Jesus was the Light of the world as long as He was in the world (John 9:5). Now we Christians are the light of the world (Matt. 5:14). It is by the supply of the Holy Spirit that our light will "shine before men, that they may see [our] good works, and glorify [our] Father which is in heaven" (v. 16).
Here at Herald of His Coming it is our constant endeavor to spread far and wide the precious "words of eternal life" (John 6:68) with which God has blessed us. We are deeply grateful to you readers working with us in this sacred task. We invite others of you to join us. Surely you will be blessed of the Lord for sharing with those who have the precious words of eternal life in such scarcity when we have it in much abundance! Your gifts are a vital help in making the monthly mailings. Your prayers are much appreciated help also. What is of more eternal significance than our prayers of faith through which God responds with works of eternal glory?