Made for More
Scripture:
For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come. Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.
—Hebrews 13:14–16 (NLT)
Have you ever felt it? That deep sense that as good as life can be, something is still missing. That the best this world offers somehow falls short of what your soul is reaching for. The writer of Hebrews names that feeling directly. This world is not our permanent home. We are looking forward to a home yet to come. And the writer of Ecclesiastes tells us why we feel it so persistently. God has placed eternity in our hearts. That restless longing for permanence, for perfect peace, for love that does not end, is not a flaw. It is a compass. It is God reminding us that we were made for more than this.
Because of that eternal hope, everything about how we live in the present changes. We are citizens of another Kingdom, pilgrims passing through rather than permanent residents settling in. And because of what Jesus has done, we no longer approach God through animal sacrifices or temple rituals. The way has been opened. His once-for-all sacrifice means we now live in constant relationship with the Father, and our offering in return is a continual sacrifice of praise, expressed through ongoing worship, steadfast loyalty, and gratitude for all He has done and all that is still to come.
“Salvation, then, is not ‘going to heaven’ but ‘being raised to life in God’s new heaven and new earth.'”¹ — N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope
Wright helps us see what the writer of Hebrews assumes. Our hope is not escape from this world but the renewal of it. And that future shapes what we do right now. The sacrifice of praise is not contained to Sunday mornings. The writer immediately connects our upward worship to our outward actions. Do good. Share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God. Because God met us in our deepest need through Jesus, we are now called and empowered to meet the needs of others. Our faith is not meant to be kept. It is meant to overflow.
So live today as someone who knows where this is all headed. Let the eternal home ahead of you loosen your grip on the temporary things around you. Let the praise you offer with your lips find its way into the way you spend your time, your money, and your attention. And let the needs of the people around you become an invitation to live out the very love that found you first.
Reflection:
- How does remembering that this world is not your permanent home change your perspective on a current stressor or goal?
- Which is easier for you right now — offering praise with your lips, or offering praise with your actions? Why?
- Who in your life is in need today, and how can you respond in a way that reflects Jesus?
Prayer:
Thank God for the eternal home He has prepared for you. Ask Him to help you live each day with that hope in view, and pray for opportunities to reflect His love and generosity toward someone in need today.
Footnote:
¹ N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church (New York: HarperOne, 2008).