no eye has seen and no ear has heard, and no human mind has ascended to that which God has prepared for those loved of him (1 Corinthians 2:9, my translation).
No one has seen with their eyes nor heard with their hears nor conceived or imagined or experienced fully that which God has prepared for those loved of him. But oh, to experience, just to see a glimpse, will change our hearts and minds and cause us to fix our eyes on Jesus who looked to that joy ahead, suffering greatly, so to lead many sons to glory.
"Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." (Matthew 25:34)
Go he says, tell those who I have invited, see! I have prepared my banquet and everything is ready, come to the wedding feast (Matthew 22:4). It has been prepared, every detail, before the foundation of the world, even for those to sit at the right hand of the Son (Mark 10:40). When Jesus came the scriptures say there were a people prepared for him, and John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus in order to establish a people prepared for him (Luke 1:17, 76; Luke 3:4). Jesus said, "and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:3). There is a place prepared for those loved of God.
"But as it is, they were longing for a better homeland, that is, a heavenly one. For this reason God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city to receive them" (Hebrews 11:16)
Some we know the names of and many we do not, ones whom the world was not worthy, these looked ahead to a better place prepared for them. Yes, when we are convinced of the love of God and what he has prepared for us, our eyes are fixed on something better than this world has to offer. To fix our eyes on something means that we long for a heavenly home where the things of this world dim in comparison. And it means our mission becomes clear, no longer seen dimly as through a foggy mirror but face to face, in the face of Jesus, the glory of God.
But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” (2 Timothy 2:19-21)
To have a mindset fixed on that which is heavenly, distinguishes us from being mere children to being full heirs and sons, grown into maturity. Putting into perspective what Paul declares as having a firm foundation and seal of our identity as mature sons of God. As in the great house that God is preparing there are many vessels, some gold, and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable, therefore if someone cleanses himself he exists a vessel of honor, sanctified, useful to the master, prepared for every good work. So we pray let our eyes be fixed on that heavenly, may our vision be clear, may we but glimpse, as often as possible, that which God has prepared for those loved of Him.
Because He Lives
"and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)
Though I walk in the flesh I do not walk accordingly. I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me. I did not love God first but he first loved me. And "we are winning a most glorious victory through the one who loves us" and as Paul was convinced of His love so it is when we can say nothing can separate from the love of God and when we are convinced that if He loved us so much to give us his Son how much more will he give all things, knowing that "all things work together for good to the ones loved of God, called according to His purpose because those he foreknew also he predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son," the ones loved of God and blessed through His Son, whom he chose before he created the world to be holy, blameless in his presence, in love (Romans 8:37-39; Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 1:4-5). To the chosen, the ones loved of God, just a little glimpse of what he has prepared for us, gives us hope and joy, helping us look past what we think is an impassable wall.
"But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us," (Ephesians 2:4)
Because of His great love, he was rich in mercy and though we were dead in our sin he made us alive together in Christ. In Christ, God commends his love, places it in a striking point of view so it receives favorable attention. "God commends that His love for us because while we existed still sinners Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Such love is something to commend, to place in view, to fix our eyes on and our ears to and our minds upon, even though it says no man has ever conceived in their minds the fullness of that which he has prepared for those he loves. Oh, but to see a little, to hear a little, and to imagine a little so that the things of this earth become so dim compared to that he has prepared for those he loves.
"Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." (Matthew 25:34)
Some we know the names of and many we do not, ones whom the world was not worthy, these looked ahead to a better place prepared for them. Yes, when we are convinced of the love of God and what he has prepared for us, our eyes are fixed on something better than this world has to offer. To fix our eyes on something means that we long for a heavenly home where the things of this world dim in comparison. And it means our mission becomes clear, no longer seen dimly as through a foggy mirror but face to face, in the face of Jesus, the glory of God.
But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” (2 Timothy 2:19-21)
To have a mindset fixed on that which is heavenly, distinguishes us from being mere children to being full heirs and sons, grown into maturity. Putting into perspective what Paul declares as having a firm foundation and seal of our identity as mature sons of God. As in the great house that God is preparing there are many vessels, some gold, and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable, therefore if someone cleanses himself he exists a vessel of honor, sanctified, useful to the master, prepared for every good work. So we pray let our eyes be fixed on that heavenly, may our vision be clear, may we but glimpse, as often as possible, that which God has prepared for those loved of Him.