"Do not postpone for the future what you so greatly need in the present." (attributed to Hudson Taylor)

Her vintage dishes showed little wear. Of course! She had considered them too precious for everyday use, so she carefully preserved them for special times — essentially, for future use only. Now, after her death, it was my task to pack those dishes and donate them to charity. Sadly, she had never experienced the fullest joy that they could have provided her.

No doubt you can relate, especially if you learned to save your best treasures for future use only. Keep in mind that we might do that with spiritual treasures, too. I'm thinking of those blessings provided by God "who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ." (Ephesians 1:3b NLT)

Did you notice those words, "in the heavenly realms"? I admit that for many years, they flew over my head. That's because "heaven", as I incorrectly assumed, referred essentially to a remote place and time — for future use only in the afterlife. That's bad theology, folks! It leaves us deprived! Heavenly realms, more correctly, refers to God's domain of rule which encompasses the here-and-now. It's where Christ is seated, reigning right now, above all evil forces. Therefore, we can say:

2 Peter 1:3-4 – By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires. (NLT)

So then, neither Christ's reign nor His provisions are exclusively for a future order! Thus, through Him we can experience the joy that we so desperately need, especially when we feel overwhelmed by relentless troubles. Through Him, we can have a gladness that sustains us when despondency is about to submerge us.

Of course, it is futile to seek joy and happiness in wrong ways — but in Christ? That's never futile! Quite the contrary. We need such provisions to sustain our wellbeing — and also to bless one another.

I say, let's go for it! — just like the psalmist did in praying:

Psalm 90:14 – Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives. (NLT)

Prayer: Generous heavenly Provider, we thank You that Your magnificent blessings are not for future use only, and that we need not postpone for the future what we greatly need in the present. Amen.

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About the author:

Diane Eaton <dianeeaton6@gmail.com>
Paisley, Ontario, Canada
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