It’s good to remember that nothing we build will last. Everything that is of this world will ultimately decay and all that will remain is what God has done. That’s all – nothing else.
Sure, we should plan and set goals. We should know that we can do good things but keep in mind that God and his will are all that really matter. Anything we do that God isn’t doing through us or in us will fade away. Everything beautiful. Everything ugly. Everything novel, noble, and banal. Maybe within centuries. Maybe within moments.
An example – Detroit
Note:
The example from Detroit is just one of many that I could have chosen. I’m not picking on Detroit or trying to tie the decay of Detroit’s architectural beauty to any particular sin or spiritual issue. Rather, it’s just one example of how things happen in the systems of the world. There are many others.
Detroit’s fading beauty is just one example showing how quickly our work can fade into nothing. How anything based on something so fickle as an economy or that requires upkeep can so quickly pass from order and beauty to disarray.
Nearly a third of Detroit’s homes are vacant, and along with the residences, the city’s stately hotels and cultural centers have been abandoned as well, falling into dramatic disrepair, their grand ruins still showing the promises of a once-booming city.
via socialmedian: The Grandiose Decay of Abandoned Detroit [Modern Ruins].
What to do?
Colossians 3:1-5
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
How about you?
What will your life’s work look like when you’re gone?
How confident are you that what you’re working on will last?
How does it make you feel to know that your work might not matter?
What do you plan to change to make sure that your labor is not in vain?