Renewed for Eternity

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

"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."

We find ourselves in a place. A place in which we will one day be perfected in the light of God's glory. Most would use this as an excuse to sit back and relax. I know that I will never be perfect on earth, and I know that God will make me new one day, so why bother at all with holiness and sanctification? The answer lies in the parables of Jesus. Do we not remember the parable of the groomsmen's oil? Or the servants left to their work? Do we not remember that there is preparation made. We tread so arrogantly in grace, sometimes. We have tried so fervently to make grace without works, that we have made Christianity about being saved from our sin bondage to live freely in it. We forget that grace is given, so that we may get up and try again. Grace is a gift, yes, but we must use it not to sin all the more! We have grace, so that we do not lose heart along the way. When I find myself so deep in sin that I feel God would not want anything to do with me, I know that I am secure in His hand, because of grace. I do not stay in the sin, however. This flesh that calls me to disobey God is fading, and it calls me to take pleasure in things that are passing away. I try so hard to avoid tribulation, but this tribulation that is momentary is preparing me for an eternity of glory. When I find that I will one day be perfected by God, this does not lead me to give up today; rather, it leads me into an eager anticipation that says, let us begin now. Like a child eager to begin work on the new swing set can not wait until Saturday morning to begin the work, but cries out to the father, "Let us build it now, even if we can not finish it before dark. We can at least start." Even if the work in me can not be finished before I die, please! May we begin it now? The heart of one truly filled with the Holy Spirit has this desire. Not the desire of things transient, but of things eternal. Our mind is set to be ready, when our Master returns, and when our bridegroom is ready. We will not be caught off gaurd or asleep. This is a process of renewal day by day. A process that only the Holy Spirit can do in us. It is a process that takes daily portions of grace to complete. May we set our minds on the things of eternal importance and allow the Holy Spirit to do His renewing work in our lives, daily.