August 12: Continuing Education

When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.” Psalm 27:8

David’s receptiveness to the LORD’s teaching, along with his eagerness to learn of Him, is a precious example to us. Why are we so slow to learn that the presence of the LORD is our greatest need? Even though any other “great need” that we might imagine we have is a far distant second to our need of His divine Presence, much of what we do tends to push Him away. He is reluctant to leave us to our own devices, knowing that at least some of it is done in ignorance. But, as Paul eloquently points out: Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30).

What a patient Teacher we have! In His written word, He has provided all that we need to know in order to be saved from the power and eternal consequence of sin, but if there is anything beyond that to understand now, it’s that eternity will be filled with continued learning. The vast and never-ending beauty of creation will at last be free of sin, decay, and death. It will beg to be explored, and every discovery will lead to ever-increasing love and admiration for the Creator.

But of all the fascinating facts and incredible beauty that await our discovery throughout the earth made new and the far reaches of the universe, absolutely nothing will captivate our attention more than the indescribable love that we will behold in the face of Christ. To gaze directly into His eyes and think of the sacrifice that He made will leave us stunned by the riches of redemption and overwhelmed by love for the One who is the Giver of life, who knew beforehand that He would lay His own life down. Jesus died the second death on our behalf (Mark 15:34, Revelation 2:11; 20:6,14). He voluntarily became our sin-bearer, yet His sinless purity in the presence of every temptation known to man is the essential feature—“part and parcel”—of  the divine power that raised Him from that death.

Make no mistake: this world of sin and those who cling to it will soon be going down in flames (see 2 Peter 3:10). A personal, unhindered relationship with the Great Teacher is the most pressing need of every one of us. Do not allow yourself to be distracted and lured away from that reality. Materialism is a major element in the arsenal of deceptions our enemy employs, yet neither should you spiritualize away the very truths that point to the solid reality and unspoiled beauty of our future inheritance. It is a fact that “human language is inadequate to describe the reward of the righteous. It will be known only to those who behold it. No finite mind can comprehend the glory of the Paradise of God.” THE GREAT CONTROVERSY by Ellen White (pp.674-675)

For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6