Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might . . . (Ephesians 1:18–19, ESV)
Where are you going?
Our family has been talking about summer vacation. We have been considering different destinations. It is fun to think about all the different possibilities of the places we could go. We could go to the beach, the mountains, or the city. The possibilities are endless.
But at some point in time, we need to decide where we are going. We have to pick one destination for our vacation. Once we know where we are going, we can start making our plans. We will get a travel information to find some of the fun things to do in the place we are visiting. We will make a packing list of all the things we will need to bring with us. We will also determine the best way to get there. Will we fly or will we drive? If we drive, what route will we take?
The basic principle here is that the destination will determine the plan. We will figure out where we are going, and then figure out how to get there. This is how life works. Start with the end in mind. If you never determine the destination, you will never get there.
Many of us, don’t know where we are going. We don’t have a vision for our life. We wake up each morning hoping to just get through the day. Then we get up the next day and repeat the same thing. We are left to survive rather than thrive. That changes when we have a vision where we are going.
See the Big Picture
As a Pastor, I officiate many funerals. One of the things I share in most funeral messages is that one day we will be the one whose family and friends are gathered to remember our life. The question is what they will say about us when that day comes? What is the legacy that we will leave?
Death is not something we may think about. It is something we may try to avoid thinking about at all costs. But it is a reality that we cannot get past. There is nothing more certain in life. So as much as we might try to avoid it, whether we like it or not, we will be made to face it.
Funerals may seem like morbid events, but as believers, we have a different mindset. God did not create us for this earth. We are just passing through. Heaven is our home. And we will dwell in eternity much longer than we will dwell in this place. To have a vision of this reality changes everything. Consider the sculpture in this picture.
I love the sculpture. We have the old lady who is on one side of the door. The door represents death. She is hunched over. She is holding the cane in her hands. You can almost feel her pain as you look at her face. Notice where she is looking. She is looking backward. She is looking to the past. There may be regrets that she is pondering. There may be guilt. It is difficult to look at her.
But when she passes through the door, everything changes. On the other side, she is made new. The wrinkles, the pain, and the regret are all gone. She is no longer looking back. She is looking ahead. And where is she looking? She is looking to Jesus. She is no longer limping but running to embrace him. Vision changes everything. As we seek vision, there is no greater vision than Jesus. Imagine how different the statue would be if the elderly lady had the vision of Jesus before she died. The same is true for you.
I leave you today with the lyrics of the beloved hymn, Be Thou My Vision:
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my lightBe Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one
Reflection
- Are you living to survive the day, or do you have a greater vision?
- How does death empower you to live and embrace the present?
- How does the vision of Jesus change your life?
