1 Peter 1:3-5
Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is so good, and by raising Jesus from death, he has given us new life and a hope that lives on. God has something stored up for you in heaven, where it will never decay or be ruined or disappear.
You have faith in God, whose power will protect you until the last day. Then he will save you, just as he has always planned to do.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
If you have ever moved… or even taken a trip… you know that you have to make decisions about what to take and what to leave at home. Some moves/trips are easier than others. Sometimes we are actually moving into a bigger space, where storage is not an issue… and sometimes we are downsizing, perhaps drastically. We are moving my grandmother into an assisted living facility, so this is one of those “monumental” moves. On the surface, it would seem easy – you take your best things – just what will fit into the space – and leave the rest to be dispersed among family members and/or sold or donated.
But when you get down to it, we are all attached to our things, and 98-year-old grandmothers are no exception. My grandmother has an “edge” on some, because she and my grandfather lost virtually everything in a house fire 30 years ago. However, in the last 30 years, a lot of “stuff” has been accumulated… and there is sentimental attachment for much of it. So jewelry that belonged to my grandmother’s sisters is important. The little wind chime that hung in my great-aunt’s window has meaning for my grandmother (her older sister). She remembers the kindness of those who gave her things – and the “back-story” behind many of these items.
My grandmother is going on a journey of sorts. She is moving into what will most likely be her final earthly home. What do you take? What do you leave behind? If we study 1 Peter and other scriptures throughout the Bible, we see that there will come a day when, quite literally, we can’t take it with us! The things we store up on this earth and place such value on will not matter when we depart this earth and make the move to Heaven. But the treasures we store for Eternity will be waiting on us… and then some.
I love my home and my “things” as much as the next guy. But I’m starting to question some of my choices a little more closely. Do I need to buy this gadget or that knick-knack… or do I need to contribute more to world hunger relief? Do I really need to spend this hour shopping online, or should I spend it visiting a shut-in or calling a friend I haven’t spoken with in a long time? Should I tip the car hop an extra dollar for delivering my burger or save that money for something I want at a later date? Is it better to concentrate on myself for awhile and do some things for myself (because let’s face it, it’s all about us!) or look around and see who needs my help, prayers, encouragement, and more?
When my great-aunt passed away, the pastor reminded us that her 89-year life was a long, rich one. But by the same token, 89 years was a blip on the screen compared to Eternity. The “stuff” we store up here on earth pales in comparison to what God is storing for us in Heaven. In fact, much of what we think is so fantastic now, we would pile on the junk heap in Heaven. So we have some big choices to make.
As we sort our lives and decide what to keep and what to pitch, we need to take a long hard look at every single area. We need to ask ourselves, “Does this really matter? Would we want to take this to Heaven?” It’s a daunting task – and a challenging question. But the last verse of our passage for today says it all… God will save us. He will protect us to the last day. And He will meet ALL of our needs, and then some… now - and most surely in Heaven. For me, this is worth any “tough choices” I have to make now. Wouldn’t you agree?
©2011 Debbie Robus
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