OUR PERFECT LIFE
Dubbed “The Mad King,” Ludwig II reigned over Bavaria from 1864 to 1886. He was obsessed with the Gothic era, and commissioned the construction of three thirteenth-century-style castles, nearly bankrupting his kingdom. The most magnificent was Neuschwanstein, which Walt Disney chose as a pattern for Cinderella’s castle. Ludwig employed fifteen woodcarvers, working four years, just to construct his bedroom. Despite their efforts, it was never completed.
We shake our heads at the insanity of “The Mad King.” But like Ludwig, don’t we all desire to arrange our world exactly as we want it? He attempted to create a thirteenth-century fairy-tale life. Each of us strives to create our own perfect kingdom.
This past year has exposed many of our false assumptions about how life ought to be. Our “perfect little worlds” have been shattered on many fronts— pandemics, “peaceful protests,” political pandemonium… All around us voices cry, “Thank God, 2020 is over! Things will be better once 2021 arrives.” Why? So we can get back to constructing our perfect kingdom? But, what if 2021 isn’t better than 2020?
I hear the clamor of objections. “Wait a minute! Aren’t you optimistic about our future?” Well, I’m definitely not pessimistic. But I cling to a quality far superior to optimism. It’s called “Hope.” Optimism declares, “Everything’s gonna be great!” Hope proclaims, “Even if things don’t improve, life’s still great!” Hope transcends external circumstances. Some aspects of life (dare I say most?) we simply cannot control. Like the “mad king” I can’t arrange my world the way I want it to be.
That’s good. Because if I could do it on my own, I probably wouldn’t seek God. But in the throes of frustration, I turn my eyes to Jesus for help. Colossians 3:2 provides the answer. “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” The Passion Translation reads, “Feast on all the treasures of the heavenly realm and fill your thoughts with heavenly realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm.”
When we meditate on eternity, everything changes in our lives. Like putting on reading glasses when the print is blurry, suddenly everything comes into focus. Concentrating on heaven, we see life from God’s perspective.
From our viewpoint, maybe 2020 was the worst year in history. But maybe not to God. Maybe 2021 will be better… but maybe not in the way we think.
Principle: Focus your attention on heaven.
Promise: When we focus on heaven, we see life from God’s perspective.
Ponder:
In what ways do I attempt to create a “perfect world” for my life?
How have the events of 2020 forced me to take a deeper look at my priorities?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study Colossians 3:1-4 and Revelation 21 & 22.
Prayer: “Dear Lord, thank you for the struggles of 2020. I surrender this past year and the next year to you. May your will, not my will, be done.”
Perceptions: Record any ideas God puts on your heart from today’s devotional.