“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2Corinthians 4:18-1 KJV)
Holidays come and go but troubles hang around. It seems that despite the joy and peace of Christmas tragedies occur. One only needs to look at the daily newspapers and media reports to know this awful truth.
But trouble on every side will not destroy our hope in Christmas’s babe. Confusion from every corner will not bring despair. Persecution as we go out and as we come in will not erase our memory of Emmanuel. Abuse of any kind will not destroy our spirit, because we know that we have Christmas, Good Friday and Easter!
And the life of our Lord and Savior is expressed daily in our physical witness of his reality. We do not need empirical evidence because the just shall live by faith and we know — are certain — that he was born in that manger, died on that Cross, was buried in that grave and is resurrected by the power of God. Oh, yes we know that death is a reality for humanity, but life is at work in those who put their faith in the Son of God.
And we know that the Christ child grew up and was crucified but that God raised him from the dead on the third day. And since God resurrected Christ from his grave, he will also resurrect us by Christ from ours.
And speaking of our troubles and sorrows, such things are for our benefit, so that God’s overflowing grace might be recognized and also bring glory to Christ’s name. And because of God’s grace, our faith is neither exhausted nor weakened, but renewed in strength each day. You see, we know that these earthly troubles are only “light afflictions” that actually results in huge eternal benefits and glory for us.
So while we observe the realities around us, we look for those “unseen” eternal benefits which were given to us at that first Christmas over in Bethlehem when our Lord and Savior was born.
Dear Father, thank you for the eternal benefits that Christ gives. Enable us to trust him despite the temporal world around us. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be courageous today and keep an eternal perspective,