One of the things that struck me on the Garden Tour last weekend as we were driving amongst the foothills mansions on Tucson's north side, was that as a child of the king I really wasn't as out of place there as might appear. The mansions' owners, on account of their great wealth, had surrounded themselves with beauty, luxury, security and ease. Whether I ever have that kind of lifestyle in my life on earth or not doesn't really matter, because I know that in not too many years I will have it forever. What is heaven but the ultimate in being surrounded by beauty, luxury, security and ease?And in heaven we can be assured of enjoying it, while on earth, now in these fallen bodies, that is often not the case. Even if we were given a mansion and all the beautiful things that go with it -- fine furniture, koi ponds, soaring windows, cactus gardens full of exotic African plants -- after awhile we'd become familiar with them, and would gain little more pleasure than I get from finding new buds on my lemon tree after it froze so hard this winter, or from settling into my very comfortable bed at night, or curling up on the not-so-lavish -- but comfy -- couch with a good book.
Those wonderful things are pleasurable, but really only for a season and only in a limited manner. When troubles come, as they always do , all that luxury and beauty really won't bring peace or happiness. But as children of the ruler and creator of the universe, the Papa who owns all the gold and all the silver and the cattle on a thousand hills, we can have something far greater -- the mind of Christ. A mental attitude that finds beauty, luxury and peace in every day that comes along, and that's better than any wealth the world can offer.
Peace,
Karen
