Have you ever been struck with the temporary nature of things in this life? Sometimes, as we saw last year with the hurricane, chaos strikes with very little notice. We might experience the death of a loved one or the devastation from a natural disaster.
Beyond the sudden, unexpected losses, there are numerous day-to-day experiences that fluctuate. Gas prices rise, food spoils, people age, and personal belongings deteriorate.
Over the last year or so, I have been working incredibly slowly on a new flowerbed in my front yard. I dug a hole in the grass, tilled the soil, added nutrients, and planted some shrubs and flowers.
One thing that has become quite apparent in this process is that quickly after planting, some of the plants went into shock. They did not like being uprooted and moved from one environment to another.
The flowers that were once pretty in the pots wilted away when I put them in the ground. This was definitely not the desired result after all the time I spent preparing the soil. My hope is that these plants will rally and thrive, but they leave little to be desired in their current state.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.
Isaiah 40:8
But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:17
There is a common phrase from the play of the same title that says, “You can’t take it with you.” As the above scriptures indicate, life and things of this earth are fleeting. Sometimes this is more evident than others. We feel the pain and curse of sin and death more strongly in moments of heartache.
There is very little in this life that we can count on being consistent. Just like my withered flowers in my garden, the temporal nature of this world is evident. In contrast, God and His Word endure forever. The love of God remains constant.
What are we to do in light of the brevity of time on earth? We should love the Lord with our hearts, souls, and minds. When so much of life seems uncertain, we can place our hope in the unwavering Word of God. We should take every opportunity to share the gospel and to serve one another. Praise be to God whose love lasts for eternity.
Love in Christ,
Adam