What will you live for in 2016?

Every December 31st, we become time conscious. But time is slippery, temporary. What will our time be like this next year? News shows, books, internet articles, friends tell us there is much to worry about in 2016: terrorists, the elections, the economy, the climate, social unrest. We are told any one of these things may impact the quality of life and how long we may live.

But as Paul says, don’t focus on what is temporary, but focus on eternity.  Faith has to do with eternity. This means that faith is rooted not in time and what happens in time. Faith is rooted in the person and character of God!

Faith is not primarily about everything working out. Faith is about knowing and pursing the person of God. So Jesus says to seek first his kingdom and righteousness, the things that are connected to the character of God.

Those things that are not tied to the pursuit of God, like tomorrow, Jesus says not to worry about them. Even though the experts and pundits don’t acknowledge it, God is in ultimate control. In this sense tomorrow and the 24/7 news cycle is not important. Don’t make 2016 the year of worry.

The pursuit of God’s character, his goodness, his rule in your heart, those are things that go beyond time. Those are the things that matter.

Seek the things that are related to God’s kingdom, those things in this life which are connected to what is eternal. Is your spouse secure in your commitment to her or him and to God? Do you value your children as people to invest in or are you more invested in the things that are temporary? In other words are you trusting things that are temporary to let your family know how much you care about them? Relationships have to do with more than what is temporary, they have to do with God and his eternal character.

Don’t measure your life and your children’s lives by the pursuit of the things that are temporary.

You cannot change how long you live. You can change what you live for!

Thoughts from 2 Corinthians 4:18 and Matthew 6:33-34.

 

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