It's a Wrap

Ecclesiastes 3:1 7 9-14 To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God. I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever.

I guess that when you are packing up a present for someone, you know that once you’ve finished putting on the decorative wrapping paper, (whether themed holiday, celebratory graduation, bright birthday or colorful artistic designs), I know that the job is done … it’s a wrap. And the term has been used for any activity these days. This is true for these days that we have been given here on Earth, because even they are numbered. The statistics are in, and there is a 100% chance of death for us all. We are moral beings and no one gets off the planet alive. So, it not who we leave behind, not the material possessions either, but what godly love and faith in Christ that we lived out daily towards our Creator God and Redeeming Savior, as a legacy of Christian character to loved ones and others that we leave behind that counts. The secular world says “life is short, so go for the gusto” (aka “eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you die” – Matthew 24:38 & Luke 12:16-21). This “live for today, with no care about tomorrow” attitude has a “wrap” and a consequence also. What are we doing with our life today? What purpose were we made for? “What is the path set before us by our Maker and are we, not only on it but consciously looking at this mission from God, seeking to improve, grow and mature in our pilgrimage here. Where does the path go and what are we doing on this expedition of life?

2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
The Bible gives many illustrations of “a walk” or “a race” or a “journey”, but these all have the prospective of a destination … a finish that “wraps” up this life and steps into the next life of eternity in immorality (Mark 10:30). The question is: “what is your eternal perspective?” meaning: “where are you going when you die?” & “where will you spend eternity?” If we have this knowledge and why, then it sets the coarse that we follow and the path that we walk today in the light of truth, instead of the blindness of walking through life in darkness; not knowing where we are going and aimlessly following temporal self interests and pleasures, or the eternal destination at the end of this road, called life. When the director of life says “It’s a wrap!” where are you going?

Matthew 5;14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

As I come this week to the last of my “New Believer’s” classes at church, it is my prayer that each of the new disciples in Christ have that “eternal prospective” and are better equipped to “ask, seek and knock” (Matthew 7:7-8 & Luke 11:9-10) to continue to be taught by the Lord and grow into the likeness of their Lord and God, on this marvelous life that has been given each and every one of us today, in this specific time and place. I pray the same for you all also. Go in the peace of Christ and serve the Lord! Praise be to God! Enjoy life, shine the light of Jesus to the world, and when it’s all wrapped up, put a bow on it.

John 3:14-16 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 1 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
In Christ, Brian