Evening

September 10

2 Corinthians 5:7-8, 10 ⁷We live by faith, not by sight. ⁸We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

¹⁰For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Paul was so confident of what awaited him that his daily life was focused on the unseen. He would rather have left his body behind and gone to the presence of the glorified Christ than to have remained on this earth. His daily decisions, his goals and dreams, and even his thought life were all fixed on the unseen. He lived by faith.

Why was he so fixated on what was to come, on the unseen world? He knew that every soul would have to stand before the judgment seat. Many Christians do not understand that there will be a review of their lives just like that of the rest of the world. The difference is that when our lives are reviewed, the sin that is covered by the blood of Christ will not come up. It is washed away. What we have done with this life will be the basis of what we receive. What we did with Christ will determine our eternal dwelling place. What we did with His life in us will determine what is due us. God keeps books. Every good work is of His Spirit, and yet, He rewards us for our cooperation.

Paul had such a treasure waiting for him that he was willing to go at any time. He was glad to stay and continue to invest in eternity but more desirous to leave and be with Jesus.

Consider: Are you living by faith or by sight? What are your decisions, goals, dreams, and even your thoughts based on? Is it the things you can see or the eternal unseen world? Have you so invested your life that you long to go and be where your treasure is?