As the name of my blog indicates, I spend a lot of time thinking about home. Of course, my Heavenly Home is the one that is eternal, so that’s where I need to lay up my treasures, and that’s the one I’m striving for. But in the meantime, I have been given this tiny piece of the here-and-now—this home on the edge of town, this family, this neighborhood—in which to serve Him. And, though this is in the earthly realm, I want the things that happen here to be investments in the Heavenly realm.




Wednesday, October 28, 2020

What Does the World Need?

 

Since the pandemic began back in March, I have found much of online world to be a place of discontent and angst and even anger. My response has been to pull back. Blog less frequently . . . read fewer blogs . . . engage less.
 

But what the world needs is not more complaining, more politics, or more temporary and worldly solutions. 

What we need is an eternal perspective. We need words of eternal truth. We need hope. We need Christ. 


Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 
II Corinthians 4:16-18


Those words from II Corinthians? They are truth. Truth that does not change, no matter what is happening in our world, no matter what the political climate, no matter how you feel or how I feel. 

Did you notice the words light affliction and but for a moment? Oh, our troubles don't feel "light" or "momentary" when they are happening. But in the light of eternity . . . everything else is infinitesimally small. 



This poem by Amy Carmichael challenges my "silken self." Maybe it will speak to you too. 


FLAME OF GOD

From prayer that asks that I may be
Sheltered from winds that beat on Thee,
From fearing when I should aspire, 
From faltering when I should climb higher,
From silken self, O Captain, free
Thy soldier who would follow Thee.

From subtle love of softening things,
From easy choices, weakenings,
(Not thus are spirits fortified,
Not this way went the Crucified.)
From all that dims Thy Calvary,
O Lamb of God, deliver me. 

Give me the love that leads the way,
The faith that nothing can dismay
The hope no disappointments tire,
The passion that will burn like fire,
Let me not sink to be a clod
Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.



22 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. I love it too, Barbara! When the girls and I were memorizing poetry in our homeschool, this is one of the ones I chose because it is so meaningful.

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  2. That poem is deep.

    My thoughts about what the world needs are best reflected in 2 Timothy 2:1–4.

    So true that this year has not felt light and temporary. I feel as if it has lasted for ten years at least.

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    1. It is deep. I like to read it slowly, sometimes out loud, and then read it again.

      Oh, that is a helpful passage there in II Timothy! The Word of God is so rich and so powerful!

      I hear you. Not that I have suffered in all of the ways that you have . . . but I feel the heaviness of the times.

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  3. Cheryl, my weary soul needs to be reminded that "in light of eternity...everything else is infinitesimally small." Leaning on the everlasting arms.

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    1. Martha Ellen, I have heard the weariness in your words, dear friend. There is no shame in being weary when the weariness causes us to lean on the everlasting arms!

      Father, help us to see it all in light of eternity!

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  4. A beautiful poem and your thoughts that accompany it are lovely, too. Sometimes it seems as though we go through life expecting that all will go our way, when we are never promised that - only that He is always with us, will always strengthen us, and that His love never fails. Thank you, Cheryl.

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    1. And thank you, Lorrie, for adding your thoughts. Oh how comforting to realize that He never leaves us and that His strength and His love are there for us!

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  5. Heard Elizabeth Elliot speak many years ago from this passage in Corinthians, and called them "these little troubles" but you're right about them not seeming light or little at the time! That's one of my favorite passages of scripture.

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    1. The passage is rich! And challenging!

      Indeed, they are only "these little troubles" when compared to eternity, but I truly believe that they will seem so very small then.

      (I would love to have heard Elisabeth Elliot speak!)

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  6. ...the faith that nothing can dismay...
    Thank you for sharing from the heart. Hope the last few days of October are good ones for you and yours!

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    1. That's a good line, isn't it?

      Thank you for hearing me, Ellen! Happy end of October for you too! You have had a busy month, but a full and happy kind of busy!

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  7. What a beautiful post, Cheryl. Thank you for the scripture, your thoughts, and that poem! That is one to print out and reflect on often.

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    1. Thank you, Becki! I love that poem (as I love many of Amy Carmichael's poems) and, yes, it is one to think about deeply. When I came across it again this week, I knew I needed to share it.

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  8. Thank you Cheryl for the Amy Carmichael poem...I wrote it out in calligraphy about 30 years ago! Her biography is wonderful too. We need to truly put our minds on things above, and the Word of God. How I long for His soon appearing...Maranatha! Linn

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    1. Such a beautiful poem, isn't it? And I am sure it looks beautiful too, written out in calligraphy!

      Yes, Linn . . . longing for His coming with you!

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  9. What a great poem, Cheryl! Thank you for sharing it with us. I've been reading through the hymns of the Lutheran Book of Worship. They too have such a good message in them. This weekend, with All Saints Day coming up, I've been reading the lyrics for "For All the Saints" and "Built on a Rock The Church Shall Stand." Have a blessed rest of your week, Cheryl.

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    1. Glad you liked the poem too, Judy! And I never tire of hearing and reading the hymns of the faith, so full of doctrine and truth!

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  10. Live is hard and full of trials! So great to have our Jesus! He has helped us all through the hard, hard things and is always with us. This poem is one that makes me stand up tall and look to God for everything I need!

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    1. I love that phrase, Deanna . . . stand up tall and look to God! Yes, I feel that way about the poem too. It is heartening!

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