Verse By Verse Devotional by Pastor Jack on 2 Corinthians #117

Seeing the Invisible (4:18)

4:17-18 "For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while WE LOOK NOT AT THE THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN, BUT AT THE THINGS WHICH ARE NOT SEEN; FOR THE THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN ARE TEMPORAL, BUT THE THINGS WHICH ARE NOT SEEN ARE ETERNAL."

The most important things for us to look at are the things we cannot see. The most important person in your life is the One who is there even when you think you’re alone.

The things that you see are not going to last long. The invisible things will last forever. There will come a day when everything you now see has passed away: cars, houses, positions, jewelry, money, toys, tools, clothes.

In February of 1990 we had a house fire that, among other things, destroyed all our clothes, jewelry, and many of our mementos. As my wife and I poked through the rubble afterward, we found some of our treasures, ruined by fire. As we stood there we said to one another that some day EVERYTHING we have will be in the same state. Today’s treasures are tomorrow’s trash. Everything we see is fading away. Even the part of ME that is visible is fading ("decaying" in v.16). But the part that is invisible ("the inner man" - v.16) is being renewed day by day, and will last forever.

The problems and pleasures of this world look so BIG -- until you see them in the light of eternity, until you see them in comparison to the eternal things. When we are given eyes to see Jesus Christ -- then all else seems small.

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." (Helen H. Lemmel, 1922)

"Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." (Col.3:2)

Dear Father, open the eyes of my heart to see the greatness of Your mighty power, the breadth and length and height and depth of Your love, the weightiness of the hope of Christ’s glorious return, and the vast riches of the inheritance that is mine in Christ Jesus. My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, to see Your power and Your glory, because Your lovingkindness is better than life.