Who better to model when it comes to cultivating an eternal perspective than Jesus Christ, the Son of the Almighty. Somehow, I cannot picture Jesus standing on the banks of the Jordan River lamenting over his physical appearance and body. The thought of Jesus seeing his reflection and grumbling to God about the size of his thighs and the amount of fat on His body seems absurd. Likewise, the mental of image of Jesus passing on a serving of bread at the Last Passover because His stomach was a little rounder than He thought it should be is ludicrous. I can�t imagine Jesus counting calories and calculating the amount of fat in His daily meals. Jesus had His mind fixed on His Father�s will and the big picture. I realize, however, that Jesus was perfect and that He and God are One, but Jesus is our example to follow. John writes in 1 John 2:6, �the one who says he abides in Him [Jesus] ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked� (NASB).
Even though the every magazine cover focuses on latest diet and the world emphasizes outward beauty, as children of God we have a higher calling- to do the will of God. Turning my fleshly perspective over to God for a heavenly perspective is not easy. Honestly, sometimes I don�t. Sometimes I chose to wallow in the mud of my thoughts and let them overwhelm and captivate me. Those days that I chose to focus on myself are full of sorrow, anxiety, and discontent. Because I am obsessed with myself and my mind is polluted with lies, I miss God. My eyes are blind to His presence and His glory. No, it is not easy to cultivate an eternal perspective, but it is worth far more than anything this world has to offer. Because of Jesus, this eternal perspective is possible. May I remind you of Jesus� words in the Gospel of John. �These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world� (16.33 NASB). Jesus says that tribulation will come to us, but we have hope. Through Jesus we have overcome as well. May we get our heads out of the clouds and �[fix] our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith...� (Hebrews 12.2 NASB) who created the clouds themselves. I challenge you, daughter of the King, to live this day and every day as if it were your last. May we be able to proclaim 2 Timothy 4:7 as boldly as Paul: �I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith� (NASB). O, how I pray that we will hear the King say with pride, �That�s my daughter. The cares of life don�t weigh her down because her eyes are fixed on eternal things. That�s MY daughter. She sees through the eyes of Jesus.� |
