Disenchanted with the Perishing Vision of Mortality
“Two
worlds crossed my path,”
so states my testimony. Reflecting on it further, having
come to realize the more important immortal reality, I charted the illustration
that appears below; I call it “Eternity,” depicting our journey through
this time: the temporal and the permanent. Jesus (Yeshua) defines
the two ways in His teaching as “the broad and the narrow.[1]”
As well, consider John Bunyan in his writing (some 300 years
ago) The Pilgrim’s Progress; he defines the two ways as Passion
and Patience[i].
And as believers in the Messiah (the Christ) our purpose is so defined, as we
trek along the narrow way, as light-bearers and salt-spreaders sharing
God’s eternal truth[2].
Eternity
is a never-ending journey, through life and death. Depending on the route—the narrow
way or the broad way (the way of patience or passion)—a person chooses to
travel through this temporal time will determine his/her experience: joy
or devastation[ii]
Only one
road to begin with[3]—the
man and the woman enjoying fellowship with their Creator, the Almighty
Three-in-One God, not as robots, but with the freedom to choose[4].
We are all
creatures of eternity, more than this mortal time, as God so formed us in our
mother’s womb. “Before
I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before
you were born I consecrated you…”, Jeremiah
1:5 ESV[iii]
As well, “…Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written,
every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them,” Psalm 139:16 ESV.
But then
as we read in the Bible, God’s holy life-giving Word, at Genesis chapter three[iv] the man and the woman are tempted
by the devil (the evil one—that “fallen angel,”[5]) to choose his
way—the “I
did it my way”
choice of pride, self-will, lustful pleasures, and passions.[6] Disobedience to God (sin)
then becomes the addiction of their lives and all humanity throughout
the world, going the way of the unholy trinity—me, myself, and I.
Realizing the immortal, how disenchanting is the perishing
vision of mortality, and how so meaningless. Ah, but I, too,
was once caught up in its meaninglessness.
Going along with the crowd so to speak, enjoying life as if trekking
this mortality was the forever road, only until “death do us part.” Then what?
Familiar with the Bible stories of Jesus all my life (for which I’m grateful), perhaps I’d considered then that church-going was just another one of those joyful Sunday gatherings people would do. Other such doings included my TV viewing, enjoying an occasional movie, sports, dining out, and vacations with the family. Even perhaps some would consider as essential, saving financially to enjoy life through those so-called “golden years” of retirement. But, realizing the immortal, the truer golden years come when this mortal time is finished—“It will happen in a moment”.[7]
Except for having gone through wars, nine eleven, stolen elections, pandemics, fires, earthquakes, famines, and such, then the times were so much pleasanter. Happenings happened throughout history (since Genesis chapter three) but people got over it, or even enjoyed their life going through it all, believing better days are ahead. But not so as the Bible declares, worse days are yet to come, and even now—in this lateness of time—are here so it seems.
Matthew 24:38-39 (NLT), “In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. 39 People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away...”[8]
“Signs of the times,”
so to speak. And in this lateness of time, my having come to realize the greater reality I’m tired of it
all, as I trek through this mortal time hearing the news of the disruption and
criminal activity of mortal humanity’s seemingly breaking the law moreso than
ever before. And seeing the filth even of mortal humanity’s seeming unconcern
as to where they throw their trash—viewing it all scattered along the highways.
Hence, I’m tired of seeing the living of life simply for the
mortal timeline as if it was the forever time. Seemingly, when all the troubles
get settled down (but only for a time), all humanity goes back to that “normal”
way of living (like the way it’s been since Genesis chapter three) as if
nothing tragic had happened. (Hmm, another sense perhaps, as some may see it,
that the broad road—the way of passion—is the way to go.) But I pray
when the troubling times of 2020/21 clear up it will not be a return to
that “normal” way of living as it once was, but a re-awakening revival to
our truer purpose for our being as God ordained it to be.
Now there are enjoyable times even amidst the difficulties,
nevertheless. But, imagining, what would living be like these days if there was
no Genesis chapter three? Hmm. Would life be as it is, continuing the way it
has been yet without wars and rumors of wars, storms, earthquakes, famines, pestilences,
diseases, and such? Would there be high school days with students trying to
figure out what they want to be when they grow up—should they go to college and
train for some profitable profession perhaps, to continue at it the rest of
their days, or should they just continue in the working world to find their niche
in life that way?
“Que, sera, sera,” so goes
that popular song of yesteryear, “whatever will be will be, the future’s not
ours to see…” Perhaps the future is not for us to see (only one day at a
time). But following Jesus
(Yeshua) along the narrow way we are as His lights[9]
sharing the greater reality with the lost dark world until Jesus' return. The
broad road will then be no more; the evil one banished[10].
At some point, along the
way of any person’s journey, as happened with me, he/she will come to a crossroad where they will have to decide for his/herself as to which way is
truly the better way to go, determining their everlasting destiny.
For myself, I have realized the better way of living is for
the immortal, trusting in Jesus, my Savior and Lord. And sensing these tiring
days, as mentioned above, I’m ready to see the brilliance of the new day
of Christ’s return and the entrance of the Father’s eternal immortal Kingdom,
where tiredness will be no more.
Two
roads (realities) there are along one’s path. Choosing the one less traveled by
makes all the difference for all time and eternity, so realizing the greater
reality. Nothing else should matter in traveling through these tumultuous
times, except investing our time, talent, and treasure for the Kingdom of God[v] (truly the greater
investment than playing the stock market or the lottery)[11] while watching for the
Lord’s return.[12]
But until then, it is my one prayer and expectant hope, “Come, Lord Jesus.”
So was the apostle John’s in closing the book of Revelation[13]. Jesus (Yeshua) Himself
shared three times, “I am coming soon”[14].
Until then, yet nearer than ever before[15],
may my (and my fellow Christ-followers) primary responsibility and ever-present
mindset be to speak the name of Jesus at every opportunity afforded us by the
Holy Spirit, so wishing everyone a blessed day.
Journeying
through this dark evil world, Eternity in view, realizing the greater reality
as if seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, how can we go on living now as
if those MANufractured artifices—those “towers of Babel” (costly high-rises:
offices and apartments, TV, the Hollywood craves, careers, desired
possessions, passions, wealth, etc.) of this mortal time was all that
mattered (see Matthew 6:19-21[vi])?
Considering
Colossians 3:1-3[vii],
the words of a familiar hymn may come to mind: “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”
Hence, all that's happening in the world today, particularly
my mortal native homeland, I see the world as a whole different world than I
had known it in my pleasurable youth years and before all the current
happenings had happened. My
driving about, the freeways and surface streets, about my errands, etc.,
viewing the structures of humanity’s doings, my mind considers, “it’s a
perishing world, all being stored up for fire.”[16]
Construction,
destruction, re-construction has been happening throughout history according
to the advancement of technology. Shopping centers, malls, stores, businesses, etc,
so looking forward to the “grand opening,” but who knows when/if that grand
closing will come. Structures and highways wear out as time passes and in need
of repair, updated, or torn down to keep up with the current time. (Yet, “Jesus Christ is the same [and
most essential] yesterday, today, and forever. 9 So
do not be attracted by strange, new ideas…” Hebrews 13:8-9, NLT [brackets mine])
Ah, nothing else indeed matters except the works of God—consider 2
Peter 3:9-13[viii].
Thank you,
God, for getting me to realize the more important reality. I’m so looking
forward to meeting Jesus in the air. What will that be like? Until then,
realizing the absolute for the relative, may I never again get so wrapped up in
the things of this temporal time. “The way of the godly leads to life; that path
does not lead to death,” Proverbs 12:28, NLT.
Serving
until the Lord's return in the cause so stated in Matthew 6:33[ix], we serve in His care. “Look at the birds. They
don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds
them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?... Seek the Kingdom of God above all
else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew
6:26, 33 NLT
What is (Real) Life?
(Real) Life Is
(faithful) Followers of Elohim—God,
the Almighty three-in-one Creator, who brought everything into being by His
spoken command. Real L I F E,
is proper living through repentance and faith, in the Lord Jesus (Adonai
Yeshua), the Christ (Messiah); living to the praise and glory of God, trusting
for His provision as we journey through this temporal time, as light-bearers
and salt-spreaders sharing the Good News, that the (other) world, too,
may realize the real L I F E
= Living In Fellowship with Elohim.
(Real) life is more than the often frivolous fascinations of this mortal time.
[1] See
Matthew
7:13-14
[2] See
Matthew
5:13-16
[3] See
Genesis 1-2
[4] See
Genesis 2:15-17
[5] See
Isaiah
14:12-15
[6] See Genesis
11:1-9; cf. 2 Timothy 3:1-9
[7] See
1 Corinthians 15:52-57
[8] Cf. 2 Timothy 3:1-5
[9] See Matthew
5:13-16
[10] See Revelation
20:7-10
[11] See
Luke
12:20-22 12:18-21
[12] See
Matthew
24:36-51; Mark 13:31-37
[13] See
Revelation
22:20
[14] See
Revelation 22:7, 12, 20
[15] “nearer
than ever before” = no prediction, just a weird sense. Praise God that there’s
more to life than this mortal time; if mortality was all there was to life there
would be no real meaning to living.
[16] See
2
Peter 3
[i] From The Pilgrim’s Progress, “…that
the highway up which Christian was to go, was fenced on either side with a
wall and that wall was called Salvation. (Isaiah 26:1) Up this way, therefore,
did burden Christian run, but not without great difficulty, because of the
load on his back…” Consider viewing Revelation
Media’s animated film of The Pilgrim's Progress.
[ii] The Life
Application Study Bible (LASB),
notes on Genesis 2:7, [brackets mine], “…[Our earthly] body is a lifeless shell
until God brings it alive with the ‘breath of life.’ When God removes his
‘life-giving’ breath our bodies once again return to dust. Our life and worth,
therefore, come from God’s Spirit. Many boast of their achievements and
abilities as though they were the originator of their own strengths. Others
feel worthless because their abilities do not stand out. In reality, our worth
comes not from our achievements but from the God of the universe, who chooses
to give us the mysterious and miraculous gift of life…”
[iii] Note on Jeremiah 1:5, “God knew you, as he
knew Jeremiah, long before you were born or even conceived. He thought about
you and planned for you. When you feel discouraged or inadequate, remember that
God has always thought of you as valuable and that he has a purpose in mind for
you,” LASB.”
[iv] Note on Genesis 3:1, “Disguised as a shrewd serpent Satan came to tempt Eve. At one time, Satan had been a glorious angel. But in pride, he rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven. As a created being, Satan has definite limitations. Although he trying to tempt everyone away from God, he will not be the final victor. In 3:14,15, God promises that Satan will be crushed by one of the woman’s offspring, the Messiah,” LASB.
[v] Note on Matthew 25:24-30, “…We must not make excuses to avoid doing what God calls us to do. If God is our Master, we must obey willingly. Our time, abilities, and money aren’t ours in the first place—we are caretakers, not owners. When we ignore, squander, or abuse what we are given, we are rebellious and deserve to be punished,” LASB.
[vi] Note on Matthew 6:21, “Jesus made it clear that having wrong treasures leads to our hearts being in the wrong place. What we treasure the most controls us, whether we admit it or not. If possessions or money become too important to us, we must reestablish control or get rid of the items. Jesus calls for a decision that allows us to live contentedly with whatever we have because we have chosen eternal values over temporary, earthly treasures,” LASB.
[vii] Colossians 3:1-3 NLT, “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.”
[viii] Note on 2 Peter 3:13, “God’s purpose for people is not destruction but re-creation (see Isaiah 66:22; Revelation 21-22). God will purify the heavens and earth with fire; then he will create them anew. We can joyously look forward to the restoration of God’s good world” LASB.
[ix] Note on Matthew 6:33 [brackets mine], “To ‘seek the Kingdom of God above all else’ means to put God first in [lives], to fill [our] thoughts with his desires, to take his character for [our] pattern, and to serve and obey him in everything. What is really important…? People, objects, goals, and other desires all compete for priority. Any of these can quickly become most important to [us] if [we] don’t actively choose to give God first place in every area of [our lives],” LASB
Consider the Steps to Peace with God; see how to cross over to the narrow road.
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