I’m Only Passing Through!

As you look around at the ever-worsening condition of our world, it’s easy to grow discouraged and disheartened wondering if there is any hope left for humanity. The willful sickness of sin that has laid siege upon our world is draining mankind of all his strength.

Everywhere you turn you see people hurting, deep in pain and suffering, wondering about as though lost—while the powers-that-be continue pouring out their vials of wrath on those they consider mere subjects—individuals to be trampled all over for their own pleasures, whims and gains.

Certainly, you may face these situations daily just like everyone else, but they need not rule your life and keep you down. As a child of GOD, you are given the opportunity to rise above these things as you rest securely in GOD’s promises of protection and the assurance you are given of an eternal home beyond your imagination. You can hold fast to the promised blessed hope of the soon “appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13 HCSB).

GOD has prepared a place for you so far beyond your ability to understand or comprehend—a kingdom of hope, love, peace and abundant blessing. Paul re-enforced this thought when he wrote: “Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NET). This world is not your home; it is but a foreign land we each must pass through on our journey to a heavenly kingdom that surely awaits us.

The excitement of things to come should overwhelm your every day. The joy of the hope you have in Jesus should create an abundance of praise and thanksgiving continually. In the midst of the utter chaos of this world, you can look beyond and by faith grasp ahold of the kingdom that awaits us and out of this will flow praise without ceasing.

Paul wrote an exciting piece of instruction as to how we should be conducting ourselves as we wait in excited anticipation for our Lord’s return. He said: “For the grace of God has appeared, with salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a special people, eager to do good works” (Titus 2:11-14 HCSB).

The excitement created by realizing the grace of GOD that brought salvation to your soul should be evident in every facet of your life. The knowledge you have of how far GOD was willing to go to save you should motivate you to refuse living according to the standard of this world—denying godless living, worldly desires—choosing rather to live sensible according to GOD’s standard, living right according to GOD’s Word and living Godly according to the direction of the Spirit that is living within you.

Why, you ask? Because this world is not your home! Jesus paid the ultimate price for your redemption from the consequences of eternal punishment for your sins. He bought you out of your past worldly lifestyle with His own blood and has made you clean and pure so you may enter into the throne room of Almighty GOD with boldness and security (Hebrews 4:16), assured He will accept you based upon your obedience to follow Christ (1 John 3:23-24).

Friend, as you pass through this mess, GOD has an assignment for you—to impact your world every moment of every day for the cause of Christ—sharing Jesus through word and deed—so others may discover the same path you have found, Jesus Christ, leading to their eternal security in the heavenly kingdom.

Scripture Reading: “Sing a new song to the Lord; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise His name; proclaim His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonderful works among all peoples. For the Lord is great and is highly praised; He is feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory of His name; bring an offering and enter His courts. Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth. Say among the nations: ‘The Lord reigns. The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken. He judges the peoples fairly.’ Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and all that fills it resound. Let the fields and everything in them exult. Then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy before the Lord, for He is coming- for He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with His faithfulness” (Psalm 96 HCSB).

Personal Prayer: Father, I praise You for calling me out of this world! I praise You that You did not give up on me as I wondered about, but You remained faithful in Your endeavor to draw me safely into Your arms of love. Thank You for sending Jesus to pay a price I could never pay. Help me to live in obedience to Your standard, Your Word and Your Spirit’s guidance. Help me to share Jesus everywhere I go. May every facet of my life reflect Jesus Christ so all may know that He is living in me. Help me through every day to rejoice in You regardless of the situations I may find myself in knowing that all of these things are working together to produce in me what You have for my strength and maturity in the faith. I love You and thank you…in Jesus’ name I pray all these things…AMEN!