The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:17)

The world  promises, if you just eat this, drink that, try this, buy that, build this, own that, then you will be fulfilled and happy.  The promise is a lie.  All those things of the world pass away; they are temporary.  That word, temporary, slaps us like the word, condemned, spray painted on an abandoned building.  Temporary.  They won’t last.

English: Artist’s illustration of one model of the bright gamma-ray burst GRB 080319B. The explosion is highly beamed into two bipolar jets, with a narrow inner jet surrounded by a wider outer jet. Русский: Художественная иллюстрация одной модели яркого гамма-всплеска GRB 080319B. Взрыв представляется в виде мощных полярно направленных выбросов плазмы, состоящих из узких внутренних и более широких внешних струй. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Over coffee this morning, I read in the paper about a gamma ray burst that happened recently in space.  Astronomers calmly reported that it was so massive that, had it been closer to the earth, we would have been incinerated in an instant.  Thanks, guys…   Maybe I’ll get another cup…

The lusts of the flesh do not satisfy, except for the shortest of moments.  The “pause that refreshes” ultimately leaves you thirsty.  The finest meal is ultimately chewed, swallowed and eliminated.  The promise of sexual thrill can leave you stumbling around in the dark basement of self regret.  The newest computer quickly becomes too slow.  The bigger house soon becomes filled with junk.  Then it needs to be repainted.  Beauty, that comes at such high cost, ultimately slips away, cackling with cruel laughter.  The greatest achievement is quickly surpassed.

“But the man who does the will of God, lives forever.”  More literally, He abides forever.  He “makes his home” in God forever.  Jesus enables those who trust Him to connect to God like that – forever.

Doing the will of God is not a matter of knowing a list of things you should not eat, drink, say, do or buy.  It’s a matter of living in close harmony with God, naturally responding as He reveals His purposes in real time.  Living in the world, but not being consumed by it, is a matter of making your home, your true home, in God.  It’s a matter of knowing God and acknowledging God in all things, responding to His direction and looking ahead to His promises.  It’s receiving both good things and challenging things from His hand with the same attitude of trust and humility.

The one who hears and does God’s will discovers that:

Cravings are replaced with contentment.
Covetousness is replaced by gratitude.
Boasting is replaced by amazement.
“I need” is replaced by “I shall not want.”
“I want” is replaced by  “Thank You, Lord.”
“I matter” is replaced by “God shows His strength in my weakness.”
Sliding inevitably into death is replaced by abiding in God forever.

The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:17)