Things Unseen & Death Defeated

The other day I was on my way home, driving on wide open roads, through vast fields blanketed in snow. The beautiful sky overhead, with winter storm clouds brewing ominously in the distance. The sun was sinking below the horizon, casting hues of yellow & pink into the heavens. I was tired, it had been a long (but good) day of skiing. The radio was blaring. I couldn't take it anymore, I need silence. Time to think. Time to pray. I stopped the car, got out, & stood on the gravel road for a few moments & took this ^ picture. I was pondering a situation & asking myself, "Why Lord?" Or maybe it really wasn't a "why" question, but more of "how do I process this?" wondering thought. Then later at home scanning through the Bible, I read the following verses:

"Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth… As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. ~Colossians 3:2, 2 Corinthians 4:18

We live in a fallen world. All is vapor, a dust blowing on the wind. A flower quickly fading… We shouldn't "really" be bothered or angered by the trivial things of the world. We need to trust God to know whats best! He does, every time. I need to remember this, even when the going gets tough. When we rightly trust & fear God with a holy sense of awe & wonder, we should have nothing to fear! (Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments! He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. ~Psalm 112:1,7) We need to seek refuge under God's wings.

Now, I have another thought. What truly are the things above, that I am to set my mind on? Obviously it's Jesus. Jesus plus nothing equals everything! His promises of eternal life & the assurance of His forgiveness are amazing. I should dwell on God's Word & seek to serve His people. God's Word & fellow Christians are the only things (here on earth) that are eternal. We should strive for the best, using every infinite morsel of our entire beings to glorify & serve our King, to the upmost of our abilities in everything we do. I (we) need to live with eternity in view. ...But how is this thought pattern & mindset to become something that is engrained on our brains, & in our everyday lives? Well, for starters, you & I can totally submerge ourselves in the Living Word. The Bible is such an amazing book, it's so rich, so powerful, ruthless, & poetic - it's truly divine! There is a wealth of information there, just waiting to be read. So dive in deep! We should completely surrender ourselves to God & His infinite wisdom.

Ya know what? I have great peace knowing that all things are in Jesus' hands. My country, the government, my life, etc. Christ has a plan. Sure, at times these "vapors" or problems we encounter can be pretty rough. Sickness, cancer, politicians, or even a broken dishwasher, can discourage you. But stand fast & do not falter. It takes strength & faith in God, to trust in Him through all things; the good & the bad. (So do not fear,  for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. ~Isaiah 41:10) The Christian must never give way to despair & hopelessness. We can always bring our pain & struggles before the Lord in prayer, & He will always do what's best for us. Even if it seems really hard, Christ will never give us more then we can bear. With each coming day Jesus is preparing us for the next. I know the Lord loves me & cares for me, even though I'm a wretched fallen sinner, deserving His just wrath. 

God loved me so much that he sent His son to suffer & die on the cross for my sins. The power of Christ is so magnificent that even Death was defeated by that perfect sacrifice. God sent His Son to die for me, to die for you. Not because of anything good we did or can do, but because of our sin & God's glory. It's SO awesome to think about - The immensity of God's mercy, faithfulness, judgement, & righteousness is incomprehensible! We have been born again adopted into His Kingdom.  (According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. ~1 Peter 1:3) 

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.  We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.  For the death He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God.  So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.  ~Romans 6:8-11

For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. ~ 2 Timothy 2:9    

It's simply unfathomable. I'm so thankful for Jesus! I always get really excited as Easter approaches. :) Let's continue to look to great things unseen, celebrate the miracle of life & Christ resurrected.
Have a truly wonderful & blessed Easter!

-GB