Looking to things unseen

Yesterday my hubby and I drove several hours to give my sister some assistance. She is moving into a senior’s manor from her home of forty-five years. For her, this is a major event and a major down-size. With a Scottish heritage, both of us hate to throw away anything that is usuable. Making decisions about what she needs is also a challenge. Her family have been able to clear some areas because the keep-stuff is obvious.

However, my sister is an artist who has taken and sold countless orders for her work. No one knows what to do with her studio, not even herself. Obviously all cannot be moved into her new apartment. Most of it is excellent quality, both supplies and hundreds of originals and prints. Who would benefit most from receiving all of it?

I woke very early and spent a long time in prayer asking God how I can be the most helpful. We cleared a very small part yesterday and will be going home later today. I felt helpless because much needs to be done and the time is short. Eventually God directed me to think farther ahead. In eternity there is no need for any of the stuff of this earth. That notion helped and I was able to doze until my Fitbit alarm vibrated telling me to get up.

Typical of God, today’s devotional passage had several verses that also look ahead. First God reminded me that He hears our prayers and never is upset with our pleas for help. He understands and wants us to understand that He watches over us and over the next generation:

“For the Lord builds up Zion; he appears in his glory; he regards the prayer of the destitute and does not despise their prayer. Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.” (Psalm 102:16–18)

My sister has lined up a high school art teacher who was thrilled to tears when she offered her art supplies, a huge gift! These verses encourage me too in that God desires our actions now to produce praise in a future generation. That gives me much to be grateful about as we sort paper, brushes, paints, and paintings.

Then He gave me this:

“Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end. The children of your servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before you.”(Psalm 102:25–28)

None of the stuff we file away, keep, use, save for our kids, or whatever we do with it has eternal life. Even the world that the Lord has created will wear out and perish. It is we who believe who will last, and our offspring after us, not our stuff.

^^^^^^^

Jesus, thank You for this. I am less stressed and ready to tackle that studio with a different perspective. My sister struggles to know what to do with her things. Give me encouraging words for her too, just as You have blessed me with an eternal perspective on a very current issue! I love You, Jesus.

Later: I marvel at the progress we made in that studio. It needs many more hours, but the difference is noticeable. Praise the Lord for prompting me to remember His words:

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17–18)