We journey through this life with our eyes on someone we cannot physically see (1 Pet. 1:8). We travel toward a place we cannot see. “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands” (2 Cor. 5:1). The Christian life is full of challenges and trials, but we know that we are headed to our heavenly home (John 14:1-6). Secular people wonder how it is possible for us to base our hope on something unseen. Paul writes that “we live by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). The word “live” translates the original word “to walk.” When we are walking somewhere, we must watch where we are going. Do not stumble along the way. Do not wander off the path. In the Christian walk, above all, we must not take our eye off the destination.
We do not understand everything that happens around us, or to us. And without faith we would wander aimlessly. Let us keep our eyes on heaven, our spiritual eyes fixed on Jesus (Heb. 12:2). “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14). The destination and the reward will be very well worth the walk.
Next week we will begin to focus on adding Christian virtues to our faith. Let us continue to develop the character that God expects of his children (2 Pet. 1).
To be a child of God is the greatest privilege we have, but we also have responsibility. May God bless us all as we work with his Spirit to develop the character the Father expects of his children. TC
