It’s Time To Focus On Eternity

IRecently, while at the airport, I saw a man wearing a T-shirt that said this:

YOLO

JK

BRB

-Jesus

For anyone unfamiliar with these acronyms, it said, “You only live once. Just kidding. Be right back. -Jesus”. It made me “LOL.” It also got me thinking about how we cling to things of this rock on which we currently reside and the dumpster fire that has become our culture. Why is that? Could it be an addiction to instant gratification? Have we become nothing more than rats on a wheel, pressing the button for another dopamine hit in one of its many forms? So many things we chase after offer instant pleasure but leave us empty inside.

Then there are the worthwhile things we pursue. Education, marriage, home ownership, and having children. These are all good things, and to be sure, investing in relationships with family, friends, and the world around us has lasting-even eternal-impact.

Jesus was (and is) big on the eternal. He spoke about it often. In Matthew 6:19-20, Jesus said, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. (NLT)

Spend any time watching ads, and you’ll see a constant emphasis on stuff. The nice car that commands the respect of those around you. The beautiful, modern home that is the envy of all the neighbors. And while having wealth and nice things is not a sin, it’s important that we remember who we work for ultimately and who we answer to. Material possessions will break down over time and fade away.

John 14:6: Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Ever heard the saying, “Good is the enemy of the best”? Well, it stands to reason that Jesus is the best. Why? Because He is the only way to heaven! So, assuming that eternal life (not eternal suffering) is our goal, His way is the best.

Father, help us to keep our gaze on the eternal. Help us not to chase lesser things but to seek to know You more each day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Is Jesus who he said He is? John 11:25, John 14:6