Keeping Perspective on the Eternal

Jack Gill — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 20:47:15 +0000

The Old Testament prophet Samuel was quite a fellow. Here was a guy that had heard the audible voice of God as a child. He had faithfully served under the priest and judge Eli. He had stepped into the place of priest and judge himself after Eli died a sudden death. He made a circuit throughout the nation of Israel, and he would judge the people according to the Word of the Lord. He had anointed Saul, and seen Saul‘s disobedience. He personally hacked that wicked king Agag into pieces (gulp!), and spoke boldly to Saul (who was now king) that he would lose his office to another. He followed God‘s voice, and anointed David as well. In short, he was a bold and faithful man, and he was diligent to serve the Lord. He was not one to pursue that which was not directly aligned with God or His purposes. He called the nation to follow after the Lord with its whole heart.

The nation was not as diligent though. There were rumblings…murmurings. It seems the people wanted to be defined as other nations were defined—and that was by having a king. Even though the Lord had defended and cared for them, they felt that need to “keep up with the Joneses,” and that a king would help in defining them in the eyes of the other nations. Now they would look like those around them. Now, they would appear strong—or so they thought—with a king at their head.

In the wake of this pursuit, Samuel made this comment to them. Listen to his timeless words as we think about what our pursuits should be: “…you must not turn aside, for then you would go after futile things which cannot profit or deliver, because they are futile…fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.” (1 Sam. 12:21, 24)

You and I live in a culture in which it is easy to lose the perspective of the eternal. All too often, we see things in the now. We can easily get focused on our stuff—or the stuff we’d like to have. Keeping up with the Joneses is much more difficult. Today, along with the temptation to keep up with our neighbor, the media pushes us to have the newest technology, or the nicest and most fashionable clothing, or the youngest and most attractive bodies! The world continually calls for us to pursue the things it deems most important. I think we need a few more Samuels today—men and women who keep their focus and pursuit on the main thing: the Lord and His purposes.

When we allow our gaze to lower on to the temporal, the tough, the demanding, that which is sacrificial, or even our suffering, we can quickly lose the eternal perspective. With that, the Joneses suddenly become much more significant and attractive…and yet they continually remain elusive.

Considering what the Lord has already done for us is a real faith-booster though! Remembering His faithful acts keeps us encouraged, as well as helps us to wait expectantly and confidently to see how He will move and act in the future.

We cannot turn aside. Like Samuel, we too need to have a healthy fear of God…and to serve Him in truth. The futile things of life are like snake-oil—promising, attractive, and hope-building—but in the end they fail to deliver. Sort of the same way with kings, isn‘t it?

Blue Ridge Bible Church » eternal

Keeping Perspective on the Eternal