"When Christ (your real life,
remember) shows up again on this earth, you'll show up, too - the real you, the
glorious you." (Col 3:4 The Message)
We were late when we entered the church building. The
priorities of life often interfere with our schedules, don't they! Music from
the sanctuary could be heard from the loudspeakers in the foyer, and it made me
long to experience the real thing. But though it was uplifting, it still sounded
distant, a bit like a mirage.
As soon as we entered the sanctuary, the music became
more vibrant, more real. Still, we didn't feel in the midst of it. It was like a
whisper, though louder than before, when compared to reality.
Not until we were ushered to the very front did we
experience the full impact of singing our praises to our Heavenly Daddy. The
music completely enveloped us. We could clearly perceive each beat, each note.
We were one with the praise service, we felt the presence of the One we love
clearly in our midst.
Often our victory life is similar. We perceive from a
distance the victory that awaits us, and it makes us hunger to experience it
fully. But from that viewpoint, it still seems like an optical illusion, and
only our faith can drive us towards our destination.
The evil one will try anything in his power to hinder
our advancement, however. The sooner we realize he is all lies and that truth
can only be found in our Forever Friend, the sooner we will reach our real goal.
Perseverance is a must, keeping our hope vividly alive in our vision.
The process to victory often is too slow for our
liking, but it does help us get acquainted with the Lover of our soul. The
closer we get to Jesus, the more clearly we hear the trumpets of triumph
resounding in the distance.
One day we will be in the front row of victory and we
will wonder why it took us so long to find our way there. The distractions along
the road were really not worth our time. The real thing is now, bathing in the
glory of the Most High!
"For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours
are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection
bodies in heaven - God-made, not handmade - and we'll never have to relocate our
"tents" again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move - and so we cry out in
frustration. Compared to what's coming, living conditions around here seem like
a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we're tired of it! We've been given a
glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of
God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what's ahead. He puts a little of
heaven in our hearts so that we'll never settle for less." (2 Cor 5:1-5 The
Message)
But no matter what, let us remember that throughout
our trek through life, we have a Counselor and this Counselor will never ever
abandon us: "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor
to be with you forever- the Spirit of truth." (John 14:16-17 NIV)
Let us
enjoy the moments we
spend with the One who is leading
us to victory. Victory is not a concept. It's a
person!
"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor 15:57 NIV)
Victory is possible now! Just like experiencing our
Heavenly Daddy can be done right now. Our little detours are what causes the
delay.
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
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The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.