I know, that goes against the tide of contemporary teaching. We are constantly told to stop and smell the roses, enjoy life, focus on today, etc.
All of that advice has some merit. We should not just numbly stumble through life, oblivious to the blessings that come our way. We should seek adventure and chances for personal growth. We should touch as many lives as we can with the love and grace of God.
All of these things are true!
However, as I was driving to work today I heard a brief snippet from a speaker who mentioned that nobody enjoys a trip so much that they choose to stay on the plane rather than go to their destination. Even when traveling "first class," the plane ride is a means of getting us somewhere.
So much of the teaching today has adopted the humanist approach to life. According to their philosophies, we should not be concerned with our eternal future, but should be focused on the beauties of the day-to-day human experience. We focus on the blessings that come our way during this life. We zero in on what we can get out of life--business success, popularity, companionship, financial benefits. One pastor with whom I associated used boast about "the favor of God."
I am not demeaning the blessings of God. He grants us what we need to have in order to live the lives He's called us to live. I am grateful for the many blessings He's chosen to give to me. I have a beautiful family, a comfortable home, a few close friends, a car, a job, etc. Those things are in my life because of the unmerited favor of God and I am grateful.
We often cling to those blessings as though they were the goal. Like the Children of Israel hoarding the manna that God had provided, we expend so much energy and time seeking our definition of the blessings of God. And, like the Israelites experienced, those hoarded gifts spoil and decay. God's love and mercy are new every morning! He provides us with what we need for life. He expects us to work hard and trust Him for what we need. But, much like the mentality of the four-year-old in my living room, we confuse what we want with what we need. We are so eager to obtain the little pleasures of life that we lose sight of the destination He has set before us.
Our goal is to be with God. Our goal is to seek Him. Our goal is to spend eternity in a love relationship with the One who lovingly created us. We are the Bride of Christ! We are traveling toward the Marriage Feast! Why do we get so wrapped up in the peanuts on the plane?
The thing is, if our focus is in the right place, we'll have a sense of URGENCY to reach out and touch the lives of others so they, too, can join us at the Marriage Feast!
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