Encouragement For A Repentant ChurchSýnishorn

Aim at Heaven

As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

We must distinguish between the transient and the eternal, between the perishing and the permanent. Though the things of this world preoccupy everyone around us, we must continually hear the voice of God, which tells us to live for the eternal, not the transient. Live for the next world, not this world. It is the wise man or woman who lives with the perspective of eternity. 

There is a cathedral in Milan, Italy, with a remarkable entryway. To enter, you must pass three doors in succession, each one with an elaborate inscription.

The first door, stone etched and wreathed in roses, reads, “All which pleases is but for a moment.” 

The second door features a cross with the engraving, “All which troubles is but for a moment.”

The third door, the largest doorway into the sanctuary, has the inscription, “That only is important which is eternal.” Live for the eternal, not the transient. Live for the things of God.

If you live with this eternal perspective, does that mean you will miss out on a full, happy life in this world? Not at all—quite the opposite. Living for the next world is essential to a full life in this world. 

In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis points out, “Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in: aim at earth and you will get neither.”