2 Corinthians 4:16-18 English Standard Version (ESV)
16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self[a] is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
New year, new beginnings, fresh starts, clean out, unclutter, put away and start afresh are all words or phrases that we hear at the onset of a new year. However, for a follower of Christ there is a deeper understanding.
Sunday morning Pastor Josh preached an outstanding sermon from Daniel 7, which he further expounded on Sunday night. If you missed it go to the church website or Facebook page and watch it online! The sermon title Sunday night was Struggling Well. Basically, we were reminded the future can be overwhelming. Anxiousness, insecurity, cultural and societal decay are but a few of the concerns of our day. Daniel lived in a distressing time as well. What kept him grounded and focused was his prayer life. Amidst all the uncertainty, pressure and evil around him he remained a faithful champion of prayer.
Recently, I received a new laptop. This came with the fresh challenges and frustrations which arise with new technology. One such frustration is the “zoom feature” which arbitrarily engages, especially when composing an email. While moving the mouse to advance on the page the screen zooms out (enlarges) or zooms in (gets smaller) at random. I am learning how to stop the feature but am still unsure what initiates it. A “zoom out” when typing can be a welcomed event especially if I don’t have on my glasses. On the other hand, the “zoom in” feature can be disconcerting when the document becomes minimized to the point of needing a magnifying glass to read it.
God, the author and creator of everything, has perfect vision and needs no “zoom in” or “zoom out” feature on his computer. He sees perfectly what is happening in the infinitesimally small things as well as the colossal. There is nothing that escapes His purview.
II Corinthians 4 reminds us that we will have struggles in this life; very real, hard, dramatic struggles, yet these are transient or temporary. Our existence here is brief. Eternity beyond this life looms close at hand. For followers of Christ that eternity promises completeness, wholeness, fullness and peace.
As we begin 2020, I am reminded to “zoom in.” Zoom in on the eternal picture, and trust God to “Zoom out” and orchestrate through His sovereign will what is best for His children. We are called to remain faithful in prayer and the study of God’s Word to maintain focus in an ever-increasingly decadent world.
Keith