For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ²For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, ³if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. ⁴For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 2 Corinthians 5:1-5

The eternal perspective God gives us through his word and work in us brings a clearer focus to that which is going on around us. Life in this world isn’t easy – it never has been and never will be. If we strive to try to make life easy, we strive for the temporal. Life in this world is passing away and we will not dwell here forever. If we live as though what we build with our hands and see with our eyes is eternal, we spin our wheels as those who have no future or hope.

Death of our body is a temporary passage into eternal life, which is where we already live IN the body of Christ. God built our eternal home and God prepares us to live there.  God has already clothed us in life and he will further clothe us. The Spirit of Christ, whom God gives, keeps us in life and helps us see with eternal eyes.

The eternal perspective God gives us through his word and work in us brings a clearer focus to our word and work. The thinking we do about ourselves takes new form: We are clothed, we have purpose, we are clean, and we are holy IN Christ, our eternal life. The thinking we do about our hands, our work and our life takes new purpose: our hands are holy hands, fulfilling Christ’s work through us; our work provides for our family and gives us expression; our life is precious, bought with the precious blood of Christ.

The “doing” of our lives takes place in the context of the eternal picture God places in front of us. He restores, re-creates, redeems and prepares us for himself. He has called us so he can spend eternity with us; he has prepared eternity for us and he places his Spirit within us guaranteeing that position of wholeness in him.  God’s word calls us to allow him to help us identify and throw off everything that tangles us up in the web of the temporal. God’s word calls us to live as fully human IN Christ, taking on the tasks in front of us with eternal passion and fervor.

Raising children with our eyes fixed on the eternal gives us courage to speak Christ to them – we want them to spend this life with their eyes on eternal life. Loving the people around us with eternal passion gives us boldness to love them as Christ loves them – our spouse included. An eternal perspective helps us wake up to the influence of unhealthy people or unhealthy behaviors or unhealthy thinking and take action, based in the wisdom of God, to allow God to bring health and wholeness and healing into our lives.

The eternal perspective God gives us through his word and work in us gives us peace in the storms and earthquakes and all things temporal. God gives us his eyes and his heart and gives us great joy in living for today and for eternity. May God grant us courage and boldness in his life. May his peace guard our heart so we can learn to allow it to be free in Christ. Blessings IN Christ, Cindy

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