WHILE IT LASTS

Things unseen. What does that mean, to look at what we can’t see when all we want to do is see?

Eyes of faith.

Faith in Someone.

Someone invisible.

But how? How do we look to at things unseen? How is faith bolstered through invisible hope?

Written, inspired words. Preserved to be read, preserved to give life.

But then a world all around us, too. Visible, confirming His word. Invisible attributes of the eternal God.

Every good season comes to an end and we feel it... we ache with it. Every bad season comes to an end and we long for it… we ache for it.

The invisible and quickly passing good--it points to Him: there must be more than this. The invisible and quickly passing bad--it points to Him: there must be more than this.

There must be more than this world--this world that we can see.

Autumn in Toronto can be so different from one year to the next; each year ordained in detail. Leaves fall, but not by chance. They’re plucked and dropped by sovereign hand. Some years the branches are stripped naked long before now. But this year, the leaves cling and the colours endure.

It’s been the most glorious, enduring fall in memory.

My children have grown tired of me endlessly commenting on the beauty of this year’s autumn. It’s a gloomy, rainy day and we drive down a cozy, tree lined street. The gray, brooding background makes the shimmering colour pop all the more. Crimson! Gold! It seems like there's more deep pink this year, too.

“Guys, look. Look! Isn’t it just so beautiful?”

My biggest boy says playfully, “We’re tired of looking, Mom. Why are you always talking about the leaves?”

I guess when you’re 6 it’s a fair question.

“You know what it is, Jake? I just feel like God is giving us an extra good gift this year. Usually all the leaves are gone, raked up, and stuffed in paper bags by now. But not this year. This year He gave us so much more time to enjoy the color and the beauty before He takes it all away. I guess I just want us all to enjoy it while it lasts."

Enjoy it while it lasts...

Those words have become my heart’s theme these past days.

He’s built eternity into every part of our life, every part of our world. Everything good is but a passing season; colour and beauty will inevitably change or fade. So enjoy it while it lasts.

Today I sit on the floor beside my friend’s beautiful 5 month old baby girl. She’s a bright eyed, chunky thigh-ed, exquisite little thing. Beside her, my 3 year old baby girl is so big, so grown up, chattering on about clementines and necklaces and other silly things.

Autumn’s beauty falls and baby girls grow and no matter how hard you try, you can’t slow things down. The seasons will change. And all you can do is enjoy it while it lasts.

Things unseen are all around us, waiting to be seen.

His invisible attributes, visible through those things we can see and hold and touch in our world. Everything in this life, good and bad, is passing. And these good things, these visible things, they speak to His eternal goodness: there has to be more than this life, and there is!

Things unseen is not just when we close our eyes and reflect upon the Cross and our Saviour. Things unseen is when we walk around, eyes wide open, seeing all that He has built right into our world that reminds us that we are a moment and He is forever.

Because there will come a day when we won’t have to enjoy it while it lasts, because it will last forever.

There’s no way to wrap finite minds around eternal truths… But He’s given so much for our eyes to see and our hearts to feel that confirm the truths in His word.

When we feel that pulsing ache of beauty fading and colour falling and babies growing, it’s Him, close beside us, tilting our chins and lifting our gaze to a beauty we cannot see.

Not yet, anyway.