This journey in life is like traveling from flat, dry desert land to a lush, green mountain. You hear that there is a better place, but nothing you know in the desert can even be compared to the mountain. You hear that it is is a certain direction, but cannot see it yourself. There are a few who have seen a faint outline on the horizon, and have left to travel towards it, but only a few. When you start in the direction of the mountain, it is not from "believing with your own eyes", but merely faith in the descriptions given by others. As you travel closer, either you lose the small seed of faith and turn back, or your patient faith grows. At times you may be able to see the faint, distant mountain yourself. As you travel closer your faith and vision may grow until you can see the goal, the mountain, clearly most of the time. But it is not always this way. Often your vision is turned toward your direct surroundings, how you will find water, how will you have comfortable lodging on the way, and when you look up again you cannot see the distant mountain. You must continue immediately toward the mountain and leave all other matters behind, or else you will become near-sighted from focusing only on your immediate surroundings.
As humans, we are made of flesh. Our concerns, therefore, are fleshly and perishable. We must keep our eyes on the distant goal, we must follow the path left by Jesus and leave behind our fleshly desires. If we become too engrossed by the things of earth we become near-sighted. We lose sight of what Jesus has given. We lose sight of our Lord.
"I must learn to hold earthly things lightly because if I do not the Lord might have to pry away my fingers, and that hurts." Corrie ten Boom
I think that you are very correct. Thank you for putting it down into words. I really like that quote from Corrie ten Boom. ~Laurie
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