We are living in a “Must Have” world. We feel we must have the best house, the fanciest cars, the most money in our bank account, the latest fashions and the most “toys”. We hear sayings like “he who has the most toys wins” which may be intended as a joke, but it is the mantra by which many live their lives.
We spend a great deal of energy chasing after things that are here today, gone tomorrow. They are ephemeral.

If you think this isn’t true, look around and see how many cars are still around that are 30-40 years old or older. Some people restore the old ones, but most are in the scrap yards. The same can be said for our houses. They usually last longer than cars, but they too only last so long and they are gone. Here today and gone tomorrow. This is pretty much the case with all “things”. They are transitory and another phrase that is often said, “you can’t take it with you” rings so true.

Don’t get me wrong. We all need a home to shelter us, clothes to cover us, probably something to drive to get us around to our jobs, etc., but do we really need the finest and most expensive of everything? What does it do for us in the long view?

We do have the greatest gift in our life that is constant and everlasting right at our finger tips. That is God and He is eternal. Eternal things are intangible like faith, hope and love. We can give and receive these things and we should, but we do not possess them like we do material things.

Focusing on eternal life which is forever rather than on the “must haves” that are fleeting and ephemeral is certainly a better option. God in his unconditional love presented us with this choice when He gave His Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins. It is free, you can’t buy it but it can become yours if you believe.

These words from 2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV give us the guide to follow in our lives. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Thanks be to God!

Patty