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I thought this short (1:21) video was amazing. Watch as the operator opens up the antenna, and all those acorns spill out, and spill out, and spill out!
They ended up believing it was a woodpecker that put all the acorns in the microwave antenna. Now for the spiritual application. Oh, there's a spiritual application. I put this video on The Quiet Life, my secular blog, for fun and yuks, but on this blog there is always a spiritual application!
All people who ever lived will stand before the judgment seat of God. "For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat…so then, each of us will give an account of himself to God." (Romans 14:10-12). After the 1000 year Kingdom of Jesus on earth ends, and satan is loosed from the pit to gather one final insurrection, (which is quashed by Jesus) unbelievers will be resurrected into a body and judged at the Great White Throne judgment, where everything they ever said or did will be judged by Jesus. (Revelation 20:11-15). Then they will be thrown into the Lake of Fire for their final and eternal placement.
Christians will be "judged" too, but not for sins. Those were forgiven when we repented. This is really an awards ceremony and Jesus will examine everything a believer said or did in Christ to see whether it was for Christ. Anything not deemed worthy will be burned up as hay or stubble. Any of the believer's works deemed having brought glory to Jesus will be refined in the fire as gold or silver.
"For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames." (1 Corinthians 3:11-15).
We are urged in Matthew 6:20: "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal."
As Barnes Notes says, "Do not exhaust your strength and spend your days in providing for the life here, but let your chief anxiety be to be prepared for eternity."
As I look at the acorns spilling and spilling, my first thought was, "That's one busy woodpecker! What a lot of work he did, flying here and there to bring acorns to the basket. He is really prepared for the future season! He must have been doing that non-stop." My next thought was, do I do that? Work continuously for Jesus, laying up treasures for the heavenly future?
When I stand before Jesus to give an account of myself, and He opens my basket of works, will there be one tiny acorn that falls to the throne room's floor in a pitiful 'clink', rolling forlornly to stop at Jesus's foot?
Or will it be like the wonderful overflowing as the operator opened the antenna and the hard work I've tirelessly been undertaking spills out in a monumental mountain? I like to think that Paul's pile is that overflowing, and Moses's, and Charles Spurgeon's and our other heroes of the faith... I am sure I have only a few treasures stored up. But my prayer is that as I go forward that I won't tire of always striving to do more for Him and with the right motivations, too. I want there to be a huge pile of works that Jesus deems acceptable and remains as gold and silver - because that will have meant I lived for Him. I want to be as busy every day as the woodpecker, constantly piling up treasure for the season to come, my eternal season of glory with Jesus.
They ended up believing it was a woodpecker that put all the acorns in the microwave antenna. Now for the spiritual application. Oh, there's a spiritual application. I put this video on The Quiet Life, my secular blog, for fun and yuks, but on this blog there is always a spiritual application!
All people who ever lived will stand before the judgment seat of God. "For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat…so then, each of us will give an account of himself to God." (Romans 14:10-12). After the 1000 year Kingdom of Jesus on earth ends, and satan is loosed from the pit to gather one final insurrection, (which is quashed by Jesus) unbelievers will be resurrected into a body and judged at the Great White Throne judgment, where everything they ever said or did will be judged by Jesus. (Revelation 20:11-15). Then they will be thrown into the Lake of Fire for their final and eternal placement.
Christians will be "judged" too, but not for sins. Those were forgiven when we repented. This is really an awards ceremony and Jesus will examine everything a believer said or did in Christ to see whether it was for Christ. Anything not deemed worthy will be burned up as hay or stubble. Any of the believer's works deemed having brought glory to Jesus will be refined in the fire as gold or silver.
"For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames." (1 Corinthians 3:11-15).
We are urged in Matthew 6:20: "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal."
As Barnes Notes says, "Do not exhaust your strength and spend your days in providing for the life here, but let your chief anxiety be to be prepared for eternity."
As I look at the acorns spilling and spilling, my first thought was, "That's one busy woodpecker! What a lot of work he did, flying here and there to bring acorns to the basket. He is really prepared for the future season! He must have been doing that non-stop." My next thought was, do I do that? Work continuously for Jesus, laying up treasures for the heavenly future?
When I stand before Jesus to give an account of myself, and He opens my basket of works, will there be one tiny acorn that falls to the throne room's floor in a pitiful 'clink', rolling forlornly to stop at Jesus's foot?
Or will it be like the wonderful overflowing as the operator opened the antenna and the hard work I've tirelessly been undertaking spills out in a monumental mountain? I like to think that Paul's pile is that overflowing, and Moses's, and Charles Spurgeon's and our other heroes of the faith... I am sure I have only a few treasures stored up. But my prayer is that as I go forward that I won't tire of always striving to do more for Him and with the right motivations, too. I want there to be a huge pile of works that Jesus deems acceptable and remains as gold and silver - because that will have meant I lived for Him. I want to be as busy every day as the woodpecker, constantly piling up treasure for the season to come, my eternal season of glory with Jesus.
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Comments
Great spiritual application, Elizabeth!I like that perspective. Funny to think that a "prepper" bird would cancel service of the flying human waves commmunication system. As the writer of the Light Seed blog, I couldn´t help but think about all these seeds that could have been planted in the ground and with time, God willing, become strong oaks of the Lord. Doesn´t take away from your wonderful application, thought. Just another perspective. Maybe yours is more valid looking at the late hour on God´s clock. I just thought of what the church could have done, had she not hoarded so much between the walls of her institutions. See Isaiah 22:8 to end of chapter. Just a thought. Blessings on your life. Jean-Louis.
ReplyDeleteI love your thought Jean-Louis! I was looking at the acorns as the works that will be laid at the Savior's feet and examined at the Bema Seat, but your notion as hoarding up seeds and not sharing reminds me of the Parable of the Talents. Both thoughts are good: what are we doing for the Lord?
DeleteI agree with both of you: both applications are good. Blessings, Tracy
ReplyDeleteWe are like the squirrels, instinctively store up that which we find as being most precious. Storing up treasures in heaven may include storing the Word in ourselves that we may be sustained through the times of leanness such as these. When I think of the "prepper" I see some of them as being just like this animal, worried about their body with no thought for that which is eternal. My unsaved mom has always had that focus, seeing no value in the Word. I would say to anyone, do more than just glance at the Word of God, you don't know when you may never again have the chance.
ReplyDelete