Monday, February 17, 2014

More Than Just the Here and Now

Our church hosted Disciple Now this weekend. After church on Sunday, I was talking with a college student who helped. He was there when a young boy accepted Christ as his Savior, and he said it was the sweetest thing he had ever witnessed. As he left I told him I was glad he had that blessing. He shook his head, “That’s what I was thinking. I mean, who am I?”

The story stuck with me throughout the day. I thought of that young man, and how he would be a part of this boy’s story for the rest of his life. I’m embarrassed to admit that it was late into the afternoon before it dawned on me that he would be a part of this boy’s story for more than just this life, but for all of eternity.

When I am asked to give advice to young moms (and sometimes when I’m not asked), I tell them that the problems that seem so big at the moment will someday be a distant memory. The baby will eventually sleep through the night, and the toddler will eventually be potty trained. I once thought my child’s night terrors would be the death of me, but now it’s just a story, something mildly interesting that was once part of my life. Now it is no longer a problem.

But I am still far too invested in the here and now. Things like home repairs, college costs, and taxes loom large in my mind. So much so that I can even forget that our testimonies are not just stories for this world, but part of God’s eternal glory. As we’re reminded in Ephesians 3:10, God uses the church to make his wisdom known “to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.”

Our response to this should be like that of the college student: “Who am I?” He’s exactly right. Who are we to be a part of this? I can’t say, other than to point back to Scripture. Because God in his wisdom ordained it to be so.

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