Here or There

Luke 12:^29-31 “And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.” (NIV)

We will kick off today’s devotional by delving deeper into our final thought from yesterday. Which is the tension between living focused on eternity while dealing with the demands of earthly life. When we live our lives purely based on eternity, we tend to not care about the here and now. Like I said yesterday, I have been through that season where I did not even care to comb my hair. In fact, folks would tell me that spittle used to come out of the sides of my mouth while I am sharing in fellowship. Guess what? I was not even a Pastor then. I would say to them then that it is not important. ‘Something more than gold (x2), the Spirit of God in the heart of man is something more than gold—receive Jesus, that is the most important thing!’

So, I have been there, and I acknowledge that it is a real tension that pulls us. But we must not get rid of it. It has to exist. However, when we are earthly focused, we tend to be eternity irrelevant and that is when people become so worried. One proof that your gauge is more tilted towards the earth than eternity is something called a worry meter. Everybody has a worry meter, but the real question is where is your worry meter? Is it high, are you worried? If you are worried, then it is proof that earth is where your heart is. We need to get to that place where worry does not consume us because we know He lives and because He lives, we will live also.

The illustration that was given and I think is fantastic is no one goes to the market (mall, supermarket, or store) with a duvet. Even the people selling will tell you that they are in transit, and they are only in the market to transact and go back home. Jesus is alive; He died for us, to secure our eternity. Jesus also guaranteed our life here on earth. He tells us to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world, and we will overcome the world also. So, for us to have a vibrant walk with God, we must maintain that tension in our lives.

We, Christians, are crazy enough to believe that God can be killed. Jesus is God and He was crucified. But we are not crazy as to believe that God must stay dead because He did not. He is alive and well. Our God is a comeback God. They spat on Him, called Him names, abused Him, and humiliated Him. But like a lamb led to the slaughter, He did not say a word.  Isaiah 53:⁷ “He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.”

Prayer: Father, I ask for the wisdom and grace to be relevant on earth even while I live for eternity daily, to know when to speak and when to be quiet, in Jesus Name. Amen!