When it comes down to it, everything in this world is, at best, passing away!

I was struck by some of the reported testimonies of those who lost all they had in the Bernie Madoff fraud. Many large investors lost billions and the smaller ones lost the entirety of their life savings. One I heard said they went from being prepared to be well off in retirement to now being on food stamps. Think about that for a moment. Chilling! The bitterness is understandable, although, it does little to change the outcomes and with Mr. Madoff going to prison for the rest of his life, there’s not much more that can be done. Some invested out of greed because the rates of return were too good to be true. We’ve heard all our lives that when something sounds too good to be true it most likely is not true. Others trusted Mr. Madoff because they identified with him as a devout practicing Jew. To me, his use of his ethnic and religious heritage to deceive others is the saddest part of this tragic story. It reminds us all on this Wednesday, July 1, 2009, that we must be careful in how much we value the getting of gain here as contrasted with the building of heavenly riches that will last for eternity. (Jesus had much to say about this issue in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew Chapters 5 through 7.)

I heard a pastor on the radio this past Sunday commenting about the death of Michael Jackson. He said that while his death is a tragedy for his family, it is his life that is the real tragedy. Fame, fortune, and the fleeting riches of this life have no comparison to that which awaits the faithful when they get home. Since I scan the obituaries in several online newspapers each day it always impresses me when I read a long and glowing account of a distinguished person’s life and their accomplishments. Often, there is hardly any mention, if any at all, of their relationship with Jesus Christ. On the other hand there are some very brief notices given of a particular pastor or missionary and my thoughts immediately go to the folks who will greet them in heaven because God had used these humble servants to bring the Gospel riches to those in need of salvation. How are we able to find any balance at all in this whacked out world? We need to see it all through heaven’s eyes.

Back in 1998 the animated movie Prince of Egypt came out and my wife and I went to the theater to see it. I fell in love with the soundtrack and purchased a copy as soon as it became available. While I know it was not written from a Christian perspective, one of my favorite songs from that movie is entitled: Through Heaven’s Eyes. I see it as a wonderful metaphor for how we should view the life God has given to us in Christ Jesus. Here’s the lyrics that still move me today: A single thread in a tapestry Though its color brightly shine Can never see its purpose In the pattern of the grand design – And the stone that sits on the very top Of the mountain’s mighty face Does it think it’s more important Than the stones that form the base? So how can you see what your life is worth Or where your value lies? You can never see through the eyes of man You must look at your life Look at your life through heaven’s eyes – A lake of gold in the desert sand Is less than a cool fresh spring And to one lost sheep, a shepherd boy Is greater than the richest king If a man lose everything he owns Has he truly lost his worth? Or is it the beginning Of a new and brighter birth? So how do you measure the worth of a man In wealth or strength or size? In how much he gained or how much he gave? The answer will come The answer will come to him who tries To look at his life through heaven’s eyes – No life can escape being blown about By the winds of change and chance And though you never know all the steps You must learn to join the dance – You must learn to join the dance So how do you judge what a man is worth By what he builds or buys? You can never see with your eyes on earth Look at your life Look at your life Look at your life through heaven’s eyes! Amen. ….More later.

You can listen to this song at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVzJPvfGQV8 (English)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbyTQ27aM08&feature=related (Hebrew)