Meditation

Read Revelation 22:1-5

“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.—1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (NIV)

Growing old isn’t as much fun as I had imagined. Being retired is good. But my knees don’t work as well as they used to, my aching back wakes me up too early some mornings, and I can’t run the way I did as a young man. Is there any fun in growing old? The answer seems to depend on what I focus on.

That may be one reason Paul tells us: “Set your minds on things above” (Col. 3:2). The apostle shared a glimpse of heaven when he wrote that we “will be caught up together with [the dead in Christ] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thess. 4:17). When we let God’s word guide our imagination, we can gain a new perspective on life and eternal life. How exciting it is to imagine seeing Jesus as he really is, to look into the face of the one who loves us with an everlasting love! How exciting to think of being more like him than we’ve ever been before!

Focusing on our eternal home can change not only the way we think but also the way we act and how we treat others. Growing older can be an exciting experience when we focus our minds on things above and the life that awaits us.

Prayer—Dear Lord Jesus, fill us with your thoughts so that we can see everyone in our lives as you do. Amen.

Thought for the day—Focusing on things above can change my perspective.

—Dave Caswell, Arkansas