"The Lavish Celebration Prepared For Us"

"So we're not giving up.  How could we!  Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace.  These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us.  There's far more here than meets the eye.  The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow.  But the things we can't see now will last forever." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18--The Message)

You have undoubtedly noticed that our text is a favorite of mine.  It holds out hope of deliverance to all who are trapped in the "seen" world.  The "seen" world is full of "hard times," but to the person in Jesus Christ, "not a day goes by without his unfolding grace."   Those bound by the "seen world" do not realize that "there's far more here than meets the eye." 

I saw this quote the other day.  "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.  It's about learning to dance in the rain."  Initially it sounds good, but it is empty if dancing in the rain simply means, "This is all we have, so we might as well make the most of it."  This is nothing but fatalism and defeatism par excellence.

What about you today?  Are you caught up in a "seen world," dancing in the rain, because rain is all you have?  Are you fighting just to keep your head above water, shattered dreams and hopes, defeat tugging at your elbow?  Our text reveals that you can celebrate in the storm because of Him Who makes the storm to cease.  Take this into your weekend--- There is awaiting you "the lavish celebration prepared for us....So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal....Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him----------------------- endured...."

Father, in Jesus' Name, deliver me from eye problems.  Amen. 


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