Just Passin’ Thru

Since time is of a premium to me right now, I thought I’d pose a question for you. This is not a question that you need to answer to me though. This is a question to ask yourself and to answer before God. So here goes:

Are you merely a sojourner here in this dry and weary land where there is no water, or have you taken up residence, seeking your joy among the thistles of this world?

You may think that I am trying to guide your response with the wording of this question, and in a sense I am. Earlier this year, I had a short series of posts (beginning with A Matter of Perspective) that were intended to challenge the perspectives of myself and anyone else following along, and to get us to begin to look at life from a different angle. This thought process has developed within me since then and has become a primary focus when speaking with other Christians as I seek to encourage them. I believe encouragement is a spiritual gift that I possess, though I exercise it far too infrequently. I also believe, with a little work, this concept of perception could be used to aid in evangelism as well.

You see, as fallen humans, our perspectives have all been skewed. Not a one of us is immune to this, and all men (save Jesus) have fallen victim to such an error. It is the error seen in men throughout the Bible, and is easily found once you begin to look for it. The command to lift up our eyes is one giveaway for this reminder to look away from what you can see and to look toward Heaven. Much of the book of Ecclesiastes compares life “under the sun” to a time of turmoil and vanity. Peter began to sink into the waves when his gaze looked to the terror of the waves and away from his savior. Joshua is told that battles have already been won even before he sees them beginning and Paul tells us that we are already seated in the Heavenly places.

More and more, I am convinced that the perspective of man is corrupted in the fall. Lost people believe that their standing before God isn’t all that bad and saved people are prone to living defeated lives because of their own faults, rather than finding victory in the battle won already on the cross.

So let me close this thought with a few more questions, these intended to run parallel to my original question from this post.

• Do you gain more excitement in finding your team to be 8-1 than you do in God?
  • Micah has an answer for that kind of failing, and it hasn’t been easy.
• Do you find that your happiness rests upon your bank balance?
• Would you be appalled if (fill in the blank) were to assume the office of President of the United States?
• Do you ever bargain with God to cover up your own shortcomings?
• Are you ever shamed into silence when you know that somebody needs to hear the gospel?
• Do you neglect the gospel when you are trying to comfort a believer who is grieving?
• Can a broken down car affect your opinion of the quality of your life?
• Are you too earthly minded to be any heavenly good?

Feel free to add to this list. If you find your self buffeted in the winds of trial, I urge you with as much strength that I can muster to lift up your eyes away from this life under the sun and look to the cross. The glory of our savior is greater than any of these temporal things. As Christians, we all could use a little reminder of this every now and then.