One Day

One day this age will be of old,
Its trials presenting us as gold
In the new era of the earth.
That day will prove our truest worth–
Our only value found in Christ.
Praised be His Name as the Highest!
This age is merely but a test,
Preparation for all the rest.
When Christ’s glory’s forever shown
His poets will be ’round His throne.

Despite how loud on earth was sung
Our song, we sang, and will sing still,
Only in the most perfect tongue.
See not what I did, but what I will.

And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on” (Mk. 12:41-44).

Day 2

There are people who are considered the tragedy. A young person with the promise of a football college scholarship is killed by a drunk driver. The young woman with the operatic voice gave up Broadway to raise a family. One never was given the chance for his potential. The other never lived up to hers. We feel they have been wronged and the world has suffered.

My pastor has a powerful visual lesson. Two people unwind a sting from one end of the sanctuary to the other, and he pinches one point. “This is your life,” he says. We will exist at that point, but we will also exist for the rest of that string’s length, which is forever. If Jesus is our Savior, then we will spend forever with Him.

Why do we consider the end of this life the end of our dreams and ambitions? Would God really give us talents and ambitions that can never be fulfilled on earth? What if we will spend eternity living our dreams in His presence? What if we finally have that perfect voice and lose that second left foot, and we are on our way? What if we finally reach our potential after this life is through? What if the earth is just the training ground for our big break? Why do we desire any other audience than God Himself?

The person who gave everything she had never lost her chance, and the person who spent his life pursuing his own success is not as successful as he thought he was. If you are familiar with Dave Ramsey, you know his slogan in relation to Christian finances: “If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else.” The goal is to put off short-term desires and comforts to have a greater reward later. Compound interest. Did Jesus not compare eternal matters to investing? “[B]ut lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:20). The only thing we cannot do better in heaven is invite others to be there with us. There is so little time to invite others.