forget the ephemeral, focus on the eternal

There are so many things going on right now that I am starting to find difficulty in focusing on blogging properly.  I can point to a number of topics which I could discuss, but most are either well-trodden ground with no great new insights or matter which, upon reflection will bear no good fruit.  As it is lent, I am skipping over the saints (as is traditional) and the readings are not helping much.  So, I turn to my old book.

Last January, I secured an 1859 copy of Rev. James Smith's The Believer's Daily Remembrancer (which can be found in softcopy here).  It is a brilliant little volume wherein each day has a snatch of a bible verse, a simple exposition and a concluding prayer...all on a single page. 

The one I read today is taken from the story of Martha and Mary and says "One thing is needful" (Luke 10:42.

THE things of time are transient, the things of eternity are permanent. The world passeth away. The body must die; earthly connexions must be dissolved; but the soul must live for ever. The welfare of the soul is the one thing needful. If the soul is in a sanctified and healthy state, it will be found at the feet of Jesus; it will relish His words; and enjoy His communications more than the riches feast. We shall be seeking to know Him, love Him, believe Him, obey Him, and enjoy Him. Fellowship with Jesus is needful as an evidence of interest in Him, and as a source of satisfaction and comfort. He that finds a home at the feet of Jesus, will enjoy an eternal heaven in the presence of Jesus. Let not then the many trifles of time affect, distract, and bewilder you; but let the one thing needful be the constant object of pursuit and desire. Live at the feet of Jesus, and you are safe. Seek, above all things, to enjoy Jesus, and you will be happy. Aim in all things to glorify Jesus, and you will be holy. Look daily for the coming of Jesus, and you will be consistent. O Jesus! manifest Thyself to me; draw me to Thy feet, and keep me there!

Focus on the eternal and let the ephemeral pass along.  Don't be distracted by the shiny things or matters which enflame the passions of the moment.  In a time when there is a 24 hour news cycle and a firehose of information (aka, the internet), apparent crises are pushed upon us constantly.  We have 500 channels to distract our attention and more ways to fritter away time than arguably at any point in history.  It is so easy to become obsessed with minutiae and depressed with situations we cannot change that we forget the 'big picture'.  We become so consumed with chasing the butterflies of ephemera that we forget to stop, sit and focus on the enternal.

Forget the ephemera and focus on the Eternal.

Thank you, Rev. Smith and Thanks be to God.