Big Tex and Temporal Treasures

2nd Corinthians 5 can give us a fresh sense of eternity, and recognize that our lives here on earth are just a minute part of eternity:1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven,  8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. 9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.  Our lives here on earth are positioned against the backdrop of eternity.  The world in which we live now is not all there is, and the decisions we make here on earth will affect how we spend eternity.  If we know Christ, if He is our Lord and Savior, we have the bright promise that we will be with Him forever, and with that eternal perspective in mind, we live our lives to reflect His glory.


1st Corinthians 3 reminds us that the way we live our lives here matters in light of eternity:
11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.  
For 60 years, visitors to the legendary Texas State Fair were greeted by a 52-foot-tall talking statue of a cowboy, known as "Big Tex".   By noon this past Friday, all that was left of the fiberglass icon was a skeleton and the remnant of some clothing.   A fire raged through the giant statue, and there is speculation that the fire was possibly due to a mechanical malfunction. 

"Big Tex" had a mouth that moved, and an engineer provided a voice to greet fair visitors, and was a landmark for parents - if their kids got lost, reportedly they were told to meet them at "Big Tex".  

There is a strange sense of loss when a historic structure is destroyed.   To see a memorable piece of history go up in smoke does remind us of how temporal things of this world really are.

And, sometimes, we can get so caught up in the here and now that we miss the messages of eternity.   We can reflect on how here and now is not all there is.   If we are believers in Christ, we know that this earth is just a stop on the journey to heaven, where we will be with Jesus forever.   If we do not know Christ, we face eternity, too, only it is a place of punishment and separation from God - and it's our choice whether or not we will spend the rest of eternity with our without Christ. 

We can also reflect on how our works will be judged.  We are called to eternal, lasting pursuits, and the Bible promises not only a judgment based on whether or not we have received Jesus as Lord and Savior, but also based on the quality of our works - and it's important that we understand the distinction.   Our works do not save us, but our works will be evaluated by Him.   We are called to pursue living, life-giving works, not dead works that do not contribute to the cause of the Kingdom of God - and those dead works will be destroyed.

So, are you seeking eternal things or are your actions determined by what you can receive in this world?   Is the nature of your deeds lasting or temporary?