Preparing for Eternity
with the Lord
There are many people who only live for today and never make any plans for their
future. Spiritually, every one of us should be concerned about our future and
as a result should be busy preparing ourselves for the eternity that awaits us
after our earthly life comes to an end. In Luke 9:57-62, Jesus teaches us a valuable
lesson about looking ahead – making sure that we are focused on what really
matters. “Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said
to Him, Lord, I will follow You wherever You go. And Jesus said to him, Foxes
have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to
lay His head. Then He said to another, Follow Me. But he said, Lord, let me first
go and bury my father. Jesus said to him, Let the dead bury their own dead, but
you go and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow
You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house. But Jesus
said to him, No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit
for the kingdom of God.”We should be making a commitment to follow the Lord
and being obedient to His teaching so that we can gain an entrance into the eternal
kingdom of God.
This Earth Will Be Dissolved
One of two things will happen during our lifetime. We will die a physical death,
or the Lord will return before we do. The scriptures teach us that this earth
will be dissolved when the Lord returns (2 Peter 3:9-10). Since these things will
be dissolved, Peter goes on to ask a very important question, “what manner
of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness”(2 Peter 3:11)?
Once we die, or if Jesus returns before, we do not have a chance of changing our
life’s thoughts and actions. The Christian has made preparations for death
or the second coming of Christ and is looking forward to God’s promise of
“new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter
3:13). The child of God does not want to fall short of the grace of God, therefore
the Christian looks carefully into God’s word to ensure that they are living
a life that is pleasing to Him (Hebrews 12:14-15).
Motivated to Look Ahead
God’s dedicated saints stay motivated in our daily walk because we understand
that we must be ready at all times for the coming of the Lord. “Therefore
you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect”
(Luke 12:40). It is a true blessing to live a Christian life because we know that
heaven awaits us. Therefore we continue to stay “fit for the kingdom of
God” (Luke 9:62) understanding that when one “looks into the perfect
law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of
the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:25). Our motivation
is easy if we are “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of
our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). May we all strive to
run the race assuming that each day may be the last day we live upon this earth.
The Hebrew writer said, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so
great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so
easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before
us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy
that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down
at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2). We must stay focused
on the great crown of righteousness that awaits every Christian who doesn’t
look back, but rather remains faithful (Revelation 2:10), and prepares daily for
the eternity that awaits us with the Lord!
by Richie Thetford
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