Luther writes:
“He has been raised from the dead and He is not here. His name is now “He is not here, ” as St. Paul writes, “If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above. “Christ is not here. Hence, a Christian must not be here. He has left the husks down here, such as earthly justice, piety, wisdom, the law, and whatever else belongs to earth. Christ has in himself overcome all things and left them behind. And in that we believe this: we too are called “Not Here,” even as He is. “As St. Paul says, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”. What a wonderful saying it is. Your life is hidden, not in a chest, for there it might be found, but in Him who is nowhere. Our life shall be above all human wisdom, justice and piety. As long as you abide in yourself, you are not devout, which means that our life is hidden high above our eyes and high above all that we can feel.”
How easy it is for me to believe this life is all we have. I naturally focus on my struggles, the pains and needs of loved ones, even death itself and lament “This will never end!” Even temporary joys come to be things I hold on to, not wanting them to end, not wanting them to be taken from me or I from them.
But we are called to be Eternally Minded. “Set your mind on things above.”
“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.”
By giving me baby after baby God is pushing me toward the eternally minded. Revealing to me the eternal gifts that come with LIFE. Convenience, a certain lifestyle, ease, pleasure, these things are put into perspective when tiny souls are created, born and live all around you. The temporary riches of this life lie. And I can see, on my good days, the eternal riches Phil and I have been given.
I am called “Not Here” and confess the weakness of many times white knuckling “Here”. Of holding fast to all the husks on this earth. God help me to walk the life of “Not Here”.
