I have over the past few days been watching this animation movie – The Pilgrim’s Progress.
Heaven is depicted at the Celestial City. 😍
To think that this life is just a tiny fraction of eternity. 😲
That’s why we need an eternal mindset.
What is an eternal mindset? 🤔
There are said to be 2 mindsets – namely the temporal and the eternal. The temporal mindset is focused on the here and now while the eternal mindset is focused on forever. Obviously, in our natural state, the temporal mindset dominates, BUT, as we allow ourselves to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, this can change, in fact, it must! 😅
The temporal mindset promises peace, but only the eternal can actually give this peace.
How does the eternal mindset shape us? I came across these three ways:
1. It shapes our perspective.
2. It sets our priorities.
3. It solidifies our purpose. This brings to mind a book I am owing a lot of reading time to! 😅 it is well!
Back to the movie 🤓.
We follow a man by the name Christian on his journey to the Celestial City. He leaves behind his family who were unwilling to follow at the time, on coming across a book that made him question the life he was living . He longed for what he found in that book; for what the King promised in that book. Along the way he meets various characters, chief of whom are Faithful, Hopeful and the Good Shepherd (Christ Jesus)😍, among a host of others.
Christian loses his way when he follows what I’ll call ‘distractions’ which end up landing him in some trouble. BUT GOD! I love it when he cries out for help and help does indeed come. He keeps on being encouraged to stay on the path, but finds himself wandering off time and again. Sounds much like you and I, doesn’t it?
Many scenes stood out for me. I’ll briefly speak of three.
• The scene where Christian’s burdens, which were becoming heavier by the day, fall off when he sees the Cross. This brings to mind the words of this hymn:
At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day.
• The next one was when he saw an old man in a cage; full of despair. This man was lamenting about how there was no hope, no getting out; and yet the cage door was open. He couldn’t see it 😬. Later Christian realizes that that man was him if he allowed despair to take over his life. This reminded me of depression – a terrible terrible place to be. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. 😥 BUT GOD!
• The final one was where Christian had to go through the River to enter the Celestial City. This signified death. Initially, he was fearful to enter but he did because that was the only way to get to the destination for which he had been through so much. That’s death isn’t it? May we view death as the transition that it is – the way to our Father in Heaven . ☺️🙏🏽
I’ll end with these verses:
Matthew 6:19-20 NIV – Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
Romans 8:18 NIV – I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
May the good Lord bless and keep you all the days of your life on this earth. 🤗
Amen and amen!
Here’s a link to the movie in case. you’re interested : https://youtu.be/ksu-zTG9HHg?si=QToIU4ShA_bVBrk3
