Aim At Heaven
“Aim at heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in’. Aim at earth and you will get neither.” ~ C.S. Lewis
You can have what you want when you want it. That is what many people think and that is what many people attempt to achieve. Having what we want when we want it is the ultimate goal for those who are rooted firmly in the world because that is the ultimate promise of the world. It tempts God’s people to invest in the world and let go of eternal goals. Since so many people are driven by a desire for immediate gratification, they place themselves in jeopardy of losing sight of the true goal: eternity with the Lord.
That is the dilemma of a soul living in a body. Our mortal being has one set of desires and needs while our soul has another. On the best of days, we live on a finely balanced tightrope between earth and heaven. On the worst of days, we’ve fallen off the tightrope into the pit of the world. Once in that pit, it is more difficult to lift oneself up and get on the right track again.
If we aim at heaven, Lewis reminds us, we will get earth “thrown in”. Aiming at heaven, we will be able to enjoy some of the offerings of the world while keeping our eyes fixed on the world to come. Have no doubt about it. There are joys that can be found in the world. The world is not completely evil. However, the world has been tainted by sin and, if we do not keep our eyes fixed on the Kingdom, we can be led astray easily.
If we aim at the earth, we will lose everything because investing in the earth will not get us to heaven and if we lose heaven, we have nothing left. We are mortal beings and will pass away. Eventually, the world will come to an end. What is left? Nothingness. An eternity away from God. That prospect is not very pleasant. As a matter of fact, that prospect is terrifying.
So, keep your eyes fixed on our eternal prize. Aim at heaven and graciously accept the rewards for living a good life on earth while looking forward to what is still to come for eternity.
FAITH ACTION: Make sure that all you think, do, and say today is for your spiritual betterment and not merely for earthly reward or recognition.