Plastic and Fabric

1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Matt. 4:8 The devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." 10 Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written,

"'You shall worship the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve.'"

I wonder what it must have looked like, to Jesus, to look at the world from the perspective Satan was trying to give Him. Was it even remotely a temptation to accept his offer when Jesus created the world, knows the flaws it has, after sin, knows the final outcome and has seen the immeasurable differences of Heaven. Was this really a temptation when He had already tasted Heaven?

If we could just get a glimpse of Heaven many of our issues, sins and earthly loves would just go away, because we would see how foolish these small joys are compared to what is coming.

Little girls play with dolls. This is a good thing for them, so they can learn what it is like to "love" this little entrusted to their care. Soon after they get this dolly they are hugging, kissing and talking to this piece of plastic and fabric. When they grow up and become real moms they do the same thing to their actually babies, but they never seem to go back with the same affection to the doll. Why do you suppose that is? Because now they have tasted the true joy and love from the real thing.

When we start to see Heaven as our prize, then all that this life has doesn't compare. All the things we work and plan to get are like a little plastic and fabric dolly, yet we spend most of our lives working to get a new and better dolly.

"The world rings changes. It is never constant except in its disappointments. How quickly we may remove our lodgings and make our pillow in the dust! The world is but a great inn where we are to stay a night or two and be gone. What madness it is so to set our heart upon our inn as to forget our home!" Thomas Watson.

Lord, give us a glimpse of Heaven that we might truly see what we are running after here. Give us a taste of Your feast so we would know and never be completely satisfied with what we are chasing here on earth. Make Heaven our passion. Make Your Presence our highest aim. Give us other worldly loves. Of our selves, we are weak and want cheap trappings that satisfy for but a breath. Help us to see the futility and look for eternal things. You can change our loves and our hearts. Please do that, so we may be more like Your Son. May we love You most of all.