“Seeing then that all these things shall
be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation
and godliness,” – 2 Peter 3:11
The soul maintains a certain duality that the human flesh
cannot. It moves between the two worlds (physical and spiritual) whereas
all else is contained is contained in the physical. We enter this world
with a soul and that soul inhabits mortal flesh. These bodies are rented
for but a time and our possessions borrowed for a while, however our soul is
truly ours. This soul will pass beyond the physical vail and exist in
another place (heaven or hell); while on this earth we decide the final resting
place of our soul. The trouble with humanity (to borrow from the
sentiments of C.S. Lewis) is that we settle. God has given us all things
that pertain to life and Godliness, we have been given the opportunity to
commune with the creator of the universe, and to live with him eternally, but
some choose to throw it away. They settle,
for the natural, the temporal, for fleeting pleasures and short lived
riches. Why settle for less, when God has prepared so much more?
When God formed the earth from his voice,
he then created all manner of creatures to live in it. The birds and beast
were formed and they populated the earth. He then made man in His image
and gave man dominion over the animals. We were given something that the animals
were not, a soul, and a choice. Every animal that walks this earth is
bound by natural law, and will behave according to their nature within.
Unless God intervenes, when you throw a piece of meat to a hungry lion, he will
eat it. When you chase a bird of a ledge, he will fly. There is a
natural instinct that lives within and a spiritual condition that does not
exist. A tiger can maul a 5 year old boy and feel no remorse, but can a
human being? There is a supernatural, spiritual law that exist within us
as much as the natural. Our physical man hungers, and so does the
spiritual one. Our physical man dies, and so must the spiritual one; a
duality exist that cannot be ignored and we stand on a more elevated plain than
any other creature because of the gift of the soul, and therefore the gift of
choice. This choice to serve God or no, brings with it like all choices:
responsibility and consequences. It is the devil’s wish that we stumble
through life serving our own natural lust and desires, never to consider the
condition of our soul. He would have us behave, think, and act like
animals. This not to say that we go out into the woods and tear raw flesh
from the bone of any fallen beast; no, but to say that we only think about the
physical realm. Do we only think about
the physical realm? How much time, money, and energy is spent on our
lodging, transportation, food, etc.? Do we spend the bulk of our lives in
efforts to satisfy the lust of our nature?
Jesus teaches us that there is so much more to life than what we can see
and to strive only for the natural is settling for less, God has purposed for
his prized creation so much more.
One
day, someday, all these things shall be dissolved. We, each one of us,
will leave this earth and nothing that you can see or feel with leave with
you. This truth is a warning to all of us, yes, but within that truth
rests a promise. A promise that there is more, we are spiritual beings
having a natural experience, not the other way around. We have been
created in His likeness and he desires fellowship with his creation. Do
not settle for small rations of this world when God has prepared a table full
of spiritual blessings! Refuse to digress into the temptation to the
natural and press towards the promise of the spiritual. You have been
given a choice, you can love God and be loved by God. You can know God
here on earth and forever in heaven.
