Questions for Littles: What do we not lose (2 Corinthians 4:16)? What is perishing? What is being renewed? How often? What does the apostle call our affliction in 2 Corinthians 4:17? How long does he say it lasts? What is it working for us? How does this glory compare in length? How does this glory compare in weight? What do we need to do in the meantime (2 Corinthians 4:18)? Why? What does 2 Corinthians 5:1 call our bodies? But where is the unseen house? What do we do in the seen house (2 Corinthians 5:2)? How do we feel about our unseen house? How do we feel without that house (2 Corinthians 5:3)? Is our desire to be unclothed of our physical body (2 Corinthians 5:4a)? What should our desire be? Who has prepared us for this (2 Corinthians 5:5a)? How has He guaranteed/assured us that these things are ours (2 Corinthians 5:5b)? What effect does this have upon our attitudes (2 Corinthians 5:6a, 2 Corinthians 5:8a)? What are we currently at home in and away from (2 Corinthians 5:6b)? How will we feel about being away from the body instead and present with the Lord instead (2 Corinthians 5:8b)? How, therefore, must we walk (2 Corinthians 5:7)?In this week’s Epistle reading, we learn the key to viewing any and all earthly troubles as just light and momentary. Seeing what is invisible.
The problem is that our troubles are very visible. They do not look light but weighty. They do not look momentary but long. But these troubles are not just going to be replaced by an eternal weight of glory. They are actually working for us this eternal weight of glory. As our outward man perishes, we remember that bodily suffering is for a short time. And as we learn and grow in these trials, we “see” that our inward man is being made fit for glory.
Of course, we don’t “see” that—our souls are invisible. And that helps us develop our x-ray vision by which we see the unseen: faith. Our souls have far more to look forward to than mortal, perishable bodies. First and foremost, we look forward to the immediate presence of our Redeemer and His glory. Second, and also glorious, our souls look forward to a resurrection in which our new bodies will be immortal and suit our eternal inheritance of the glory of Christ.
Faith doesn’t just see these things. It is confident of these things. And it grows in this confidence because of the Holy Spirit. He teaches our hearts to call God Father, and we grow confident of our adoption. He teaches our hearts to love God Himself, and we grow confident that God Himself is our inheritance. He teaches us to walk by faith, not by sight, and to look forward with joy to an eternal weight of glory!
What troubles are you going through? What are they working for you? How do you know?Suggested songs: ARP23B “The Lord’s My Shepherd” or TPH466 “My Faith Looks up to Thee”
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