This past weekend was our Encounter Weekend, “Learn to Love the Word.” We talked a lot about the perspective to have when reading the Scriptures. Perspective is key. We bring preconceived notions and influences with us to the text when we read. Our culture, upbringing, financial status, books, music, and movies, all contribute to how we read the Bible.
Our perspective can be life-changing. If you view the Bible text as a communication between the author and yourself, then you should search for the meaning that the author intended. In other words, do you believe God is speaking to you through the Scriptures? If however, you as the reader do not care to communicate with the author, then you are free to interpret the text without asking what the author meant. You can see this issue has great importance in interpreting God’s Word.
Again, it’s about having the right perspective. A question to ask yourself that requires some attention, is are your daily thoughts and actions based on being eternity minded? Psalm 39:4-5 has David saying, “Show me, O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath.”
Trials have a way of loosening our grip on worldly things. We tend to also misplace our hope in either other broken people or things that do not satisfy us. To paraphrase another scripture, “why do you waste your time on things that do not satisfy?” This world is not our home. And great freedom and joy are living eternity-minded
Jesus came to give us life to the full. The enemy came to steal and kill and destroy and wants us to live under the fear of death. And not just physical death, but emotional death. Jesus came to deliver us from the fear of death, “so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” (Hebrews 2:14-15).
Trust me, I have experienced my fair share of losses, and there is no getting around the hurt. But we can have an eternal perspective and suffer well. And actually, the only way to suffer well is to be eternity minded. When we put God in His rightful place, on the throne, then we can draw our strength from Him to press on and know that this world is not our home.
Ask the Lord to help you set your mind on things above, and not on earthly things. Praise and bless his name.
I bless Your name
I bless Your name
I give You honor, give You praise
You are the Life, the Truth, the Way
I bless Your name
I bless Your name
