If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.
I have a very short time here on the earth. In fact, I am even a quarter done with it. But eternity is going to be a LONG time. That is what I am living for, eternity, so I don't have much time to waste here on earth. I want to attain a "better resurrection" (Heb. 11:35) if at all possible. I also want my life to mean something here on the earth. I want to impact people, I want to see God's Kingdom established more fully on the earth. None of those things will happen just by chance - I need to be pursuing them in a methodical fashion.
For instance, I want to be a writer. I want to write about Christian life, values, and responsibilities. I want writing to provide my full-time income in the future. I want these things because they are the gifts God has given me and it part of what God has called me to do in addition to pastoring, teaching and being a husband.
So, if my long term goal is to be a professional writer and derive a full-time income from it so that I can volunteer my time as a teacher and pastor, what do I need to do to make that happen? Obviously, I will need an action plan.
An action plan breaks down a long term goal into several short terms goals. Each short term goal is them broken down into easily achievable parts that build upon one another to produce a desired result. An action plan provides steps for how to achieve your goals and make progress over time.
Take a worldly example. How many people make a New Year's Resolution to "get in shape." Many millions of people do, based on the increase in gym membership in January and February. How many people accomplish their goal? How many people make the same goal the following year? How many people are actually further from their goal the next year?
Goals need to be clear and definite. And they need an action plan if they are going to be achieved. Why am I spending so much time on this?
Because in thirty years I do not want to have the same relationship with God that I do right now. I do not want to be a baby Christian my entire life on earth. I want my life to have eternal consequences. I want to store up as much treasure in heaven as I possibly can.
This will not make much sense to you if you do not understand the concept of living for eternity. If you think that we will all be equals in heaven, you wont see the point. I would encourage you to look at some teachings of Jesus and then of Paul.
Matt. 5:19 - Jesus differentiates between those who are least in the Kingdom of heaven and those who are great in the Kingdom of heaven. Both groups are citizens, but they are not equals. The difference is to be found in their earthly lifestyle.
Matt. 18:4 - Those who humble themselves like children are the greatest in the Kingdom.
The NLT translates Luke 12:33 like this, "Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven!" To be fair, this is the only translation that puts it this way, but the other translations share the idea. We can store up treasure in heaven.
In 1 Cor. 3:12-15, Paul exhorts us to be careful about how we build and what we use to build. We will be tested, in what we have done with our lives stands, we will be rewarded. If our life's work burns away, we will still be saved, but only as "one escaping through the flames." This means that we will have nothing to our name in heaven. We will be assigned to lowly positions.
I don't want that. I don't want to just squeak into God's Kingdom. I want to be as close to Him as possible, not in the outer courts holding open a door! So I encourage you, my friends, to take an inventory of your life. Are you where you want to be spiritually? Are you doing what God has called you to do? If not, there is still time. He wants you to seek Him. He will reveal Himself to you. Good luck on your journey!
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