I was in the Emerald Isle several years ago, and it lived up to its reputation - green and beautiful even on misty and foggy mornings. I was in Bandon and the surrounding area for a conference starting on St. Patrick's Day. I arrived on a very sunny day, and the views from the plane were stunning. Beautiful beaches and scenery. As I looked out the window, I wished I were there on holiday, but it was a business trip, and there was work to be done.
My mother and my wife are from the north of the country, and there are many similarities in the people's mindset. The way they think and their attitude to life are quite similar, especially those from rural communities. At that time, it was interesting to see the evidence of prosperity; every house I came across seemed to be bigger than the one before. It is, however, not the way things were when I visited. The country was struggling economically, and I was told that there were whole estates of houses which had never been occupied and might even be knocked down. What a shame and a waste of money.
It all served to remind me that life is a constantly changing scene. You can never be certain of how things will go! Whether it is Ukraine and the ongoing conflict, Iran or the many conflicts that still simmer away, despite the news channels having moved on, all of this teaches me that nothing lasts forever. Peace can be shattered so quickly. Heartache is only a split second away. All that we hold dear can be ripped away from us in a nanosecond. It is therefore wise to take a long view of life, and to make sure that you not only live well now but are prepared for the next life when this one is over. The Bible states clearly that the world will end one day. The things we see in this life are temporary, but the unseen things of God are eternal and will remain when time has run its course.
So the question is - what are you investing in? Things that will not be here at the end of life or eternal things. Jesus said, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” Matthew 6:19-21.
The answer to the fears and uncertainties of life is integrally linked to one person - the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches that He is the creator and the ultimate controller of life. He does not micromanage your life as he designed you with the freedom to choose. He is, however, willing to forgive our wrongdoing, support us through our lives and guarantee our place in a better world, heaven. This is only possible because 'Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,' 1 Corinthians 15:3,4.
We can only benefit from His offer of salvation when we:
- Recognise our need (wrongdoing/sin),
- Repent (have a change of mind and recognise the truth) and
- Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (trust and rely on the Lord Jesus Christ to be true to His promise and save (rescue) us from our predicament.
Invest in something of eternal value. To learn more, read some of my other blogs or listen to my podcasts on www.seekthetruth.org.uk.
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