Earthly Things Don't Last Forever

Lesson Numbero Six: I can't speak Spanish  Haha, just kidding.  Sort of.  Earthly things fade away, nothing on earth lasts forever.

This is a lesson that I've very much struggled with in my walk with Christ.  The concept itself is easy enough to understand, and in my heart I know it to be true.  Logically, I know this lesson very well.  In my actions, however, it's very difficult for me to grasp.  I wouldn't say I have a problem with material possessions (although working in retail certainly hasn't helped my shopping habits).  I have a problem with letting go of things that have the possibility of lasting a very long time: romantic love, friendships, items with sentimental value, a family member, and even my way of living.  Whenever something like these are threatened, I don't take it very well.  I have an extremely difficult time of letting go of stuff like this and I know exactly why.  I afraid that once I give it to God, I won't get it back.  This could quickly get into a trust issue post, so I won't get into that point too much.

Anywho, back to my original point.  I'm reminded of so many scriptures, but I guess the verse (or book rather) is the book of Ecclesiastes.  As depressing as this book can be, it sums up this earthly life into one word: meaningless.  "'Meaningless! Meaningless!' Says the teacher. 'Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.'"  In my opinion, their is nothing more depressing than learning that everything you have and will accomplished in this life is pointless.  But on the flip side, it's also the most encouraging.  It says (in summary): Yes, this life is meaningless, but it's only a stepping stone to eternity.

Wow! We have so much to look forward to in heaven.  Being with God for eternity, what could possibly be better?  It's amazing how fast I forget that things like the friends I make or sentimental items I hold are completely temporary.  I don't know where I get it into my head that these things will somehow last forever, but I know it's not God.

Even Sailor Moon knows this lesson better than me! She knows that her life in Japan is temporary because her life in Crystal Tokyo is what is forever (Anyone who is reading this is probably like What the...?).  In all seriousness, Usagi openly admits in Arc 3 and 4 that the life they're living now is meaningless.  She says, "I'm a queen/princess in another world, what does this even matter?" Okay, that was slightly out of context since she's talking about her exams, but you get the point.  She sums it up so well: I may just be ordinary here, but it doesn't matter! I'm a princess in another world.

I'll end with one of my favorite songs, Open Up the Skies.  We sung it repeated at Wildwood and I think it sums everything up very nicely:

Our beloved Father 
Please come down and meet us 
We are waiting on Your touch 
Open up the heavens 
Shower down Your presence 
We respond to Your great love 

We won’t be satisfied with anything ordinary 
We won’t be satisfied at all 

Open up the sky 
Fall down like rain 
We don’t want blessings 
We want you 
Open up the sky 
Fall down like fire 
We don’t want anything but you 

Our beloved Jesus 
We just want to see 
You In the glory of Your light 
Earthly things don’t matter 
They just fade and shatter 
When were touched by love divine 

Here we go lets go to the throne 
The place that we belong 
Right into His arms



Loving you Abba,

~Alyssa (SailorD)