There are times when one “goes to church”; then there are times when one enters into a type of worship that provides a taste, even a glimpse, of what eternity may contain. I had that experience last night—one of those moments when the veil of this earthly existence is lifted to some extent, and one can feel what it might be like to be standing in the assembly of the redeemed, pouring out their love, gratitude, and appreciation for the One who rescued them from the pit.
Whenever I experience that sensation, I’m reminded just how short-sighted it is to allow our temporary worries to dominate our thoughts. Besieged as we are at times by the difficulties and cares of this world, we lose perspective. I’m reminded this morning of a passage in the fourth chapter of 2 Corinthians:
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.
For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 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.
There is a real heaven. There is a hope held out before us—not a wish, but a solid hope. I want to live this day in the expectation of that hope and see all present troubles in that context.
While I live in the here and now, I’m still just on the train, so to speak, heading to my destination. There will be some annoying stops along the route; sometimes the track may need to be cleared. Yet I will reach that destination in due time. Further, I have the promise that One goes with me on the journey. What more can I ask?
