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CHALLENGES IN LIVING
TOGETHER AS COMMUNITY
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Is Life
Diminishing or Advancing?
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by Tom
Caballes
"Though
our outer self is wasting away,
our inner self is being renewed
day by day. For this light
momentary affliction is preparing
for us an eternal weight of glory
beyond all comparison…"
- 2
Corinthians 4:16B-17 ESV
In 2013, both my parents died a few months apart.
My brother-in-law said to me, “we are next in
line.” He made me realise that sooner or later,
just like anyone else, death will knock on my
door. In my whole life, I have also seen the
passing away of many relatives and friends. I can
see my body getting more wrinkly, slower, and
sickly. It looks like life is slowly diminishing.
On the other hand, my life in God is advancing –
as I get more mileage in life, my salvation is
getting nearer that when I first believed [see
Romans 13:11]. My blessed hope, my ultimate joy,
my priceless treasure, my greatest dream, and my
greatest purpose in life – to go to heaven and see
God face to face – is getting closer day by day.
Yes, my earthly life is fading, but my life with
God is progressing. How about you – do you
experience the same irony as well?
So What Do You Do Now,
Knowing Your Life is Both Diminishing
and Advancing in Different Ways?
- 1.
Take good care of your physical well-being.
Every athlete exercises self-control in
all things. They do it to receive a
perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
[1 Corinthians 9:25 ESV] Aim to have a
regular exercise. Visit your doctor
regularly. You only have one physical body –
take care of it well!
- Do
not lose focus on life. Life can be very
challenging, and different trials can throw
a spanner on your focus. Keep your eyes
dead-set on heaven, no matter what. Do not
compromise heaven!
- Be
renewed in the Spirit regularly. Invite the
Holy Spirit to draw close to you. Shed away
the sins that cling close to you – see
Romans 12:1. Draw near to God, and He will
draw near to you. [James 4:8]
- Build
spiritual treasures, not earthly ones. How?
Focus on loving God and serving His people.
Become Christ-like. Be generous with your
material things, especially to those in need
and your brothers and sisters. Share the
gospel in season and out. And let us not
grow weary of doing good, for in due
season we will reap, if we do not give up.
So then, as we have opportunity, let us do
good to everyone, and especially to those
who are of the household of faith.
[Galatians 6:9-10 ESV] Share the gospel with
others.
- Be
ready to “go” any time the Lord calls you.
Settle all finances, insurance, wills, and
trusts, so that those whom you will leave
behind can carry on living well after you
have gone. Leave all your earthly
attachments behind. Travel light as a
transient in this earthly life; your real
home and destination is still to come.
- Never
give up and lose hope! Stand your ground to
the end. Expect hardships and suffering to
come in your way with God on this side of
eternity. Sin and temptations will not stop
bothering you until your last breath. When
all is said and done, look forward to the
day that you can say, “It’s all worth it
– all the troubles and all the sufferings
that life can throw at me – because heaven
is my home and my reward.”
Other Scripture passages:
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And we all, with unveiled face,
beholding the glory of the Lord, are being
transformed into the same image from one
degree of glory to another. For this comes
from the Lord who is the Spirit. [2
Corinthians 3:18 ESV]
- For salvation is nearer to us now than
when we first believed. [Romans 13:11B
ESV]
- He will wipe away every tear from their
eyes, and death shall be no more, neither
shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor
pain anymore, for the former things have
passed away." [Revelation 21:4 ESV]
- Other
references: 2 Timothy 4:7-8; Romans
8:18; Matthew 6:19-21; and 1 Timothy
6:17-19.
For
personal reflection or
group sharing
- In
your life, do you experience both its
physical recession and spiritual growth? In
what ways?
- What
is the one thing that can make you give up
and lose hope in your spiritual journey?
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Tom
Caballes is the
National Senior
Administrator and a
National Coordinator
of the Lamb
of God, a
community of the
Sword of the Spirit
with 7 branches
located throughout
New Zealand. Tom
also leads Kairos
New
Zealand, an
outreach program for
high school,
university, and
post-university aged
people.
Tom and
his wife Mhel and
their two
daughters live in
Wellington, New
Zealand.
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