Don't Be Engrossed in Temporal Things

I Corinthians 7:29-31:  "What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short.  From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them.  For this world in its present form is passing away."

There is a noticeable tension that we face when we wrestle with the "now" and the "not yet."  All of us are tempted to succumb to the temporal things . . . investments, promotions, houses, relationships, retirement accounts, etc.  And if we were honest with ourselves, we would have to admit that though we may profess "all to Jesus, I surrender," we repeatedly fix our hearts and desires on things that this world has to offer.  Sometimes, our passion for these things will cause us to spend inordinate time and energy in the pursuit of these things.   We become mesmerized with their blessings and benefits, even to the point that we place our pursuit of God and His righteousness secondary to these desires.  Tragedy however, in its various forms, will reintroduce the reality that all that we have in this life is fleeting.  It will not endure, and it can be taken from us in an instant.  And the more that we are consumed with the temporal things of this life, the more we will struggle when these things are taken from us.

What we must remember from the above mentioned verses is that our time in this life is too short to be consumed with these things.  Disciples of Jesus Christ should live their lives always with the perception that it is fleeting.   Thus, when life events unfold that would otherwise make us ecstatic (like buying a new car or a house, getting a new job or a promotion, entering into a new relationship), we always should keep the brevity of our lives within view.  And when difficult times come our way (the loss of a loved one, a misfortune or loss), we should not mourn like those who have no hope.  Instead, we keep our eyes on the prize for which our glorious Lord has prepared for those who have put their faith and trust in Him.  And anything that we acquire in this life should be seen as something that we will not keep.  We must see ourselves merely as stewards of those items . . . to be used for our Lord's glory.   Even with the love that we have for our immediate family members, we must remember that these relationships in their present reality will not endure, and we must release these loved ones to the Lord and consider the fact that the beauty of such companionships will be magnified greatly in eternity for true believers in Christ Jesus.

For the one who truly can grasp this concept, there is freedom in being able to release such enticements that can become entrapments if we allow the "here-and-now" to become our "all-in-all."  Let us realize that this world in its present form is passing away.  Let us always keep our mortality in view, and let us remember that the blessedness of our lives will be in the joy that awaits when our Lord Jesus Christ comes to receive those who have put their faith and trust in Him.