September 9, 2016 FIXING OUR EYES
2 Corinthians 4:18: “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
This is a counter-culture verse for sure! We live in a culture that operates on what is seen and what brings immediate pleasure; tremendous energy is given to acquire what is temporal, while what is eternal is often neglected. As a culture, we want a bigger better home, a newer car with all the gadgets, fashionable clothes, prestige, a better income, a comfortable retirement, to be attractive physically, and whatever make us feel good-and the list goes on. This is not to say that these things are evil or wrong in and of themselves, and in fact we need some of the temporal, such as food, clothing, shelter, etc., in order to survive physically, and God supplies these things; so as believers, we are able to see even the temporal with an eternal view. The problem with being focused on the temporal is that the desire for more and better is never satisfied and ultimately we come to a place of dissatisfaction. We live either focused on the temporal or focused on the eternal; when one does not know God, living for the temporal is the only option. Jesus came that man might be redeemed, giving us eternal life, and it is by faith in Christ that we are redeemed, and it is this faith in the finished work of Christ that makes the difference when it comes to being focused on the temporal or being focused on the eternal. Having the faith that God gives, enables us to live in the physical, temporal world with an eternal view where we can “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen.” Throughout scripture we find those individuals who because of their faith in God, were focused on God and eternity. (See Hebrews 11). A good example of being focused on the eternal is found in the encounter Jesus had with the Samaritan woman at the well when Jesus said in John 4:13-14: “Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst again; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.’ In 1 John 2:17 we are reminded of the temporal nature of the world: “The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” Being focused on the eternal is a result of knowing God and having a living, vibrant relationship with Him. When we truly know Him, our heart is drawn to Him and our heart is filled with faith in all that He has promised to those who believe. The words of an old hymn say it well: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face; and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” Let us enjoy the things that God gives us, but may we be focused on the eternal promises that God has made to those who believe in Him.
Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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