Promises, Blessings and a Long Way Home

     Although this week has already been quite busy, this week has been such a blessing as well.  I am often astounded at the unrest I have in my own heart as I go through life. During some weeks, to my suprise, I am quite content but other weeks my heart longs for that which the Lord has not blessed with me yet. I can have a tendency to revel in this unrest and think "Why has the Lord given me so little to do, or why has the Lord not allowed so and so to happen in my life." By the end of the week, though, I often take a step back and realize that the Lord has blessed me in more ways than I ever would have expected or planned. During such moments I realize I have to remember to thank Him everyday for the measure that He has given me. I was reflecting on how He blesses His elect the other day, as I was watching a slide show my sister and I had created that reflected the fifty years my parents have had on this earth, as their birthdays are a month apart. I know about some of the struggles and blessings my parents have experienced in their fifty years and was astounded at God's grace in their lives and very thankful that He choose them to be His children and allowed them to raise me in Christianity. These thoughts caused me to reflect on several verses of the Bible that I had recently read and pondered:  

"So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity." (Ecclesiastes 11: 8-9 ) 

     Therefore, as Christians we should be thankful for the years that the Lord has given us on this earth but we need to be mindful that many of the days we are given will be days of darkness. We must realize that we can look forward to heavenly blessings and a wonderful home where there will be no more crying or gnashing of teeth. My parents have taught me to not to store up treasure on earth but to look to God and to be thankful that my treasure is in heaven, as I strive, with the Lords help, to store up treasure in heaven. Days on this earth can be very difficult and it can be easy to forget that our treasure should not be stored on this earth.  2 Corinithans 4:16-18 is a good reminder of were we should set our sites:

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

Therefore, I am learning, we have to remember to be thankful for all the Lord has blessed us with today, keeping in mind that "...this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but the things that are unseen." The believer is on a continual journey until the day the Lord allows us to leave this earth.