Word of Encouragement (10/05/2022)
Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.” (Num. 11:4-6)
Yesterday, we talked about the connection between focusing on what we don’t have and devaluing what we do have. There is a spiritual dimension to this, isn’t there? What Israel longed for and what Israel despised were not just any two random things; they were between physical foods and supernatural bread. We see that focusing on worldly treasures (or the lack thereof) makes us devalue our spiritual blessings (represented by the manna that Israel despised). That is a dangerous place to be in, isn’t it?
Yet, how many of us can deny that this is where we inhabit in our spiritual life? What makes us lament and grieve? What makes us resentful and angry? What makes us tremble in fear? It is our sin or the temporal consequences of our sin? Is it our spiritual complacency or financial distress? Is it our spiritual sickness or physical illness? Is it skipping our time with God in private devotions or having to cancel our planned getaway?
God’s worldly blessings come and go: He gives them, and He takes them away because they are not necessary for our eternal well-being. But spiritual blessings are a different story. By spiritual blessings, I don’t mean spiritual gifts, which are of many different kinds, different ones given to different people in varying degrees. By spiritual blessings, I mean the different aspects of ordo salutis (order of salvation)—election, calling, regeneration, conversion [faith and repentance], justification, adoption, sanctification, perseverance, and glorification—which are given to all believers. These spiritual blessings, once given, are never taken away; they are eternal, irrevocable blessings. Because they pertain to our eternal well-being, God in His love will never deprive His people of them.
What should we value more—material blessings that come and go or spiritual blessings that are eternal? Some may argue that material blessings are more valuable because they are temporary. We can enjoy them only for a time while we will always have spiritual blessings. People, who have only six months to live, cherish their lives much more than those who expect to live much longer, don’t they?
But just because we value something more doesn’t mean that it is more valuable. If you had to choose between someone, who had only six months to live, and a youth in his prime to rescue from drowning, who would you choose? And if a young person was mature enough to value his life, are the remaining days of his life not as valuable as the six months a sick person has to live? Who can ultimately judge what is truly valuable? Is it not God? The Son of God says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matt. 6:19-20).
Not everything urgent is important in the grand scheme of things. Not everything important (like expressing our gratitude to those who are kind to us) seems urgent. So, if we just lived our lives putting out the fire of one urgent thing after another, we would miss out on tending to what is important in life. Investing in eternal things (like doing our devotions and discipling our children and younger Christians) may not seem so urgent but we cannot deny that they are important. Shouldn’t we pay greater attention to seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness and laying up our treasures in heaven?