Read 1 John 2:15-17 in your personal Bible or at the link provided.
Review
1. According to these verses, what is fading away?
2. What comes from the Father?
3. What leads to eternal life?
Reflect
Yesterday we looked at what it means to love the world like Jesus did, without letting it turn into love of material things. Today we build on the passage with verse 17, which reminds us how temporary this earth is.
Everything we see, feel, touch, and experience on this side of eternity is fading away. Momentary pleasures and material possessions will pass, but God’s kingdom will last forever. That’s why John reminds us to stand firm when all else fades and to be sure-footed on unstable ground. The only stable ground that will last is found in Jesus. Instead of trusting the temporary to bring a permanent sense of fulfillment, we’re called to pursue God.
If you’ve spent much of your life chasing the temporary things of this world, it’s never too late for a new start. Regardless of who you are or what you’re walking through right now, you can put your trust in the One who offers you something so much better than this momentary world could. Make Him ultimate today, and step onto stable ground.
Respond
• When you look at the foundations that shape your life, would you say they’re mostly stable, or are they temporary and unstable? (A couple key indicators are your calendar and your bank account.)
• Have you chased temporary things to the point of creating collateral damage somewhere else in your life, especially your relationships? Have you confessed it to God and to anyone else impacted? What step could you take today to begin the process of reconciliation?
• What is one thing you could do today to invest in the eternal?
Pray through these questions, and write down what God is prompting you to do next. Share with a friend, and take a step to apply it.