I have said before, based on the Psalms, that Hebrew writers would not make good mystery writers. They tell you the conclusion at the beginning of their story. They state the end of the matter and then proceed to state how they arrived at that conclusion. On the other hand, mystery writers keep you in suspense through the whole story wondering how things will turn out.
Psalm 23:2-6 explains in detail the bold claim in v.1 about how all sufficient Yahweh truly is.
Psalm 73:2-16 details the downward spiral in the Psalmist’s thinking. Then abruptly he enters God’s house and his view reverses. His thinking reverses. He comes to the conclusion stated in v.1.
Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us to patiently run the race of life by looking to Jesus. The Saviour endured His most difficult journey to the cross by looking past His suffering to the results of His sorrow—which was the joy of redeeming His people.
You and I need to constantly look past the present fleeting problems to focus on the eternal joy beyond those issues. We shall never be any earthly good until we are very heavenly minded. C. S. Lewis wrote the following:
“If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at Heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in’, aim at earth and you will get neither.”
It can be so difficult at times to do the right thing and lift our eyes to eternity and spend time reflecting on heaven. No good thing comes to us when little effort is expended. Start with just a few moments each day reading Revelation 21-22 ask the Lord to make eternity real to you. During the day try to recall some detail of your reading. Ask the Lord to make that specific detail precious. You will be wonderfully blessed in this spiritual exercise.
The sands of time are sinking,
The dawn of Heaven breaks;
The summer morn I’ve sighed for,
The fair, sweet morn awakes:
Dark, dark hath been the midnight,
But dayspring is at hand,
And glory, glory dwelleth
In Immanuel’s land.
O Christ, He is the fountain,
The deep, sweet well of love!
The streams on earth I’ve tasted,
More deep I’ll drink above:
There to an ocean fullness
His mercy doth expand,
And glory, glory dwelleth
In Immanuel’s land.
The King there in His beauty
Without a veil is seen;
It were a well-spent journey,
Though sev’n deaths lay between:
The Lamb with His fair army,
Doth on Mount Zion stand,
And glory, glory dwelleth
In Immanuel’s land.
With mercy and with judgment
My web of time He wove,
And aye, the dews of sorrow
Were lustered by His love;
I’ll bless the hand that guided,
I’ll bless the heart that planned
When throned where glory dwelleth
In Immanuel’s land.
- Anne Cousins
