Articles
Reaching Forward to What Lies Ahead
Reaching Forward to What Lies Ahead
. . .forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14)
Hebrews 11:13 and 1 Peter 2:11 tell us that while we live on this earth, we do so as strangers and pilgrims. We must understand that everything about us in this earthly existence, everything that surrounds us here is only temporary in nature, even life itself. I fear that multitudes of people who by the way they conduct themselves in this life fail to realize they are sojourners on this earth for only a brief time. Their hearts are so firmly attached to satisfying their fleshly appetite for things of this world, the lose sight of the fact that they are only strangers here, one who belongs to another country, lose sight that they are pilgrims here, only temporary residents on this earth (Heb. 9:27, Luke 12:15, Matt. 6:19-21, 1 John 2:15-17). Do not be numbered among these people!
This earthly pilgrimage is one day going to end for all of us. It is uncertain as to when it will end or what the circumstances will be that bring it to an end but end it will (Heb. 9:27). We don’t need to unduly concern ourselves with the when or how of our death. We should be very concerned about being ready to exit this world and enter the world that will never end (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Acts 17:30-31). Die in Christ and be found safe in the arms of Jesus. Now understand, the only way to die in Christ is while alive today, hear his word (Rom. 1:17, 10:17), believe in him and his word, repent, confess him, be baptized and be a faithful doer of his word (John 8:24, Mark 16:16, Acts 17:30, Romans 10:9-10, Acts 2:38, Gal. 3:27, Rev. 2:10, James 1:22, John 14:15).
Die out of Christ and be condemned to an eternity of punishment (2 Thess. 1:7-9). Friends, whatever spiritual condition we are in on the day our fleshly heart beats for the last time is the condition we will be in when we stand before the judgment bar of God. I say to you that we should follow the advice of the Palmist when he tells us, “Number your days and apply your heart to wisdom” (Psalms 90:12). Our lives are filled with decision making, temporal as well as spiritual in nature. As important as some of the physical, temporal decisions are, they all fade into insignificance when compared to the spiritual decisions we make. Choose to obey the gospel, be saved (Rom. 1:16, 1 Cor. 1:18, James 1:21) or choose not to obey, be lost (2 Thess. 1:7-9).
What a journey this life will be for us if we look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith to guide us through all the ups and downs of this life as we reach forward to that which lies ahead. In just a few more weeks, the Lord willing, I will celebrate my 90th year on this earth. These words from the song, I’ll Live in Glory, echo within my heart: “The end I know is nearing—by faith I look away to yonder home supernal—the land of endless day; I’ll cling to Him forever and look beyond the sky, and spend the endless ages in glory by and by.” One day I will fold up my earthly tent—and so will you. One day I will fight that final battle against those things that war against my soul—and so will you. And I know that on that day, I will be absent from this body and be at home with the Lord—How about you, how do you feel, what do you say about your life today? To God be praise and dominion for ever and for ever (1 Peter 4:11).
Charles Hicks, Gallatin Tennessee
