Living in Light of Eternity

Living in Light of Eternity 

Have you ever been reading the Bible when a passage you have read many times suddenly comes alive? Almost like it jumps off the page? That’s exactly what happened the other day when I read Titus 2:11-14 which says: 

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringingitye salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14 

Verses 11 & 12 are powerful, telling us the way we are called to live now that the grace and salvation of God has come. God by His grace changes us, trains us, and empowers us to live pure and holy lives, which testify to the fact the we are His. If we have truly received the grace of God for salvation our lives will look more and more like what Paul lays out in verse 12. Now let’s hone in on verse 13, that is the verse that really came alive in my heart the other day as I was reading. When we are truly born again our love for the things of this world should fade, our eyes should open to the kingdom of God, and we should begin to live as sojourners in this world. We are to be a people who live in light of eternity at all times and in all that we do. Living this way should help shape our every word and deed, as well as the thoughts and intents of our hearts. I believe that as verse 13 grips us, we will naturally desire to live godly lives. As verse 13 states, we are to live “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” Do you live each day looking for your saviors return? Does that reality grip your heart, causing you to live a sober and holy life that you might be ready when He comes? Does the truth that your King is returning soon cause you to live with an urgency to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost before time runs out? 

As I pondered verse 13 I began to recall many times where Jesus, Paul, Peter, John, and many others in the early church and throughout history heralded the message of Christ’s immanent return, calling people to live for and set their mind on the things that are above and not on things that are on earth. It’s incredible to me that men who lived 2000 years ago felt the need to teach and warn people that Christ is coming soon, exhorting them to live ready, but we who are 2000 years further down the road often give it such a small place in our preaching and teaching. Could it be that the enemy has been working overtime to blind us from this truth or cause us to minimize it? Have we become more focused on the things of this life than the reality of eternity? Is it possible we have become numb or lulled to sleep? We are called to live each day in light of eternity, we need to revisit the truth that Christ is coming soon and let that shake the way we live our lives. 

Let me leave you with a parable that Jesus taught, telling people to always be ready for His return. 

Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him 

to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Matthew 25:1-13 

Let us seek the Lord while there is still time, may we intimately know Christ prior to His coming, and may our lamps be filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit when He does return. May we be like the wise virgins prepared for the coming of the bridegroom. May we let our light shine bright, so that many would see and know Christ before it’s to late. Let us ask God to grip our hearts with the reality of the eternity, and let us live in light of it! 

Blessings, 

Timothy Glasgo