40 Days of Purpose: This world is not our home

In the last post, we learned about two metaphors that describe life through God’s eyes. Today we will explore the third: life is just a temporary assignment.

“Since we were born only yesterday and know nothing. Our days on earth are but a shadow.” Job 8:9 CSB

Job describes life best it is but a shadow compared to eternity, it is like a grain of sand on an endless beach. Life is short, much shorter than we think it is and time often deceives us. We think that we will get seventy or eighty years of life but truthfully no day is promised. Today could be the end and no one would know.

“Their end is destruction; their God is their stomach; their glory is their shame; and they are focused on earthly things. Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 3:19-20 CSB

There are some who recognise life is short and spend their days chasing after pleasure. They eat what they want and drink what they want. They have placed value on earthly things and little value on preparing for the future. So much exists in the present moment and they must experience it to the full or life is pointless.

This way of life isn’t bad but it isn’t good either. We should all be present and fully appreciate life but not at the expense of eternity. It is a gift that we are alive but we must not forget that we exist to serve God and everything else is secondary.

Our home is in Heaven and this life is preparation to make sure we get there and to be ready for when we are there. This life is a temporary test of trust. If we choose not to see it this way our eternity is in jeopardy. This world is not our home, we are just visitors with a purpose.

The Bible says that people who are friends with the world are enemies of God (James 4:4). God doesn’t want to be our enemy and we certainly don’t want to be His. God wants to be our friend, our Heavenly Father and our King. He calls us to live with Him and lead pure, blameless lives.

“Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul” 1 Peter 2:11 CSB

Our focus should be on God, on the eternal. The only way we can live life as God intended is to keep our focus on Him and remember the three metaphors of life. That life is a test, a trust and a temporary assignment.

KEY VERSE

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV

When we live as God intended and keep our focus on Him worldly things will not be as tempting because we know it doesn’t last and what awaits us is better than anything the world can give.

We can experience great joy on this earth for example but in contrast to the pure, untainted joy in Heaven it is but a shadow.

Our choices and values affect our eternity but we also have to keep our emotions in check too. Our emotions can lead us to make choices that feel right in the moment but are not, that is why we must delve into the Word and absorb it so that in such situations are instinct is the truth and not our emotions.

This world may not be our home but it is our purpose to take care of it. We have been tasked with protecting the environment and helping it to grow, looking after all animals and people too. It is not an easy job and when we look at the world today it seems like a failure. Yet God is patient, He is merciful and full of grace. He sees the small efforts and appreciates them. It is a comfort to remember that God works everything for the good of those who love Him and work according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

THE SEASONS OF LIFE

“There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 CSB

Life may be temporary but as we go through it we will experience different seasons. This is beyond our control and often confusing because we want explanations that we usually don’t receive.

We can go through seasons of abundance and joy or seasons of grief and suffering. Each season serves a purpose that only God knows, it may be that particular seasons are there to teach us how to walk in faith while other seasons are filled with blessings that bring glory to God. We can’t say for sure but we do know there will be good seasons and bad seasons just as there are good moments and bad ones (Ecclesiastes 3:2-8). There will be seasons of growing and seasons of harvest.

We must follow the example of Paul who wrote the following verse while in a Roman prison awaiting death:

“I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself.” Philippians 4:11 CSB

Paul learned to be content in every situation He had peace in both good times and bad. We can learn from his example. He trusted in God wholeheartedly and didn’t fear death. He didn’t fear anything because He knew that as long as He was faithful it was enough and if God wanted him to die then his purpose on earth was done and his new life in Heaven would begin.

But we must also remember that if we are unable to be content or feel dissatisfaction with life this is not a bad thing. Sometimes God allows us to feel this way because it can help us from becoming too attached to our lives. When we feel this way we can be reminded that our life in eternity is what truly matters.

Life is a temporary test of trust. God trusts us to do His will and serve His purpose. He tests us to make sure we are obedient and to help us grow. When we recognise that this life is temporary we will find it easier to let go of worldly things and surrender completely to God.

“Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring – what your life will be! For you are like vapour that appears for a little while, then vanishes.” James 4:14 CSB

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