My, my. Tests, trials and temptations of this life abound!
Suddenly, on life’s stage they appear, with power to astound.
Through them we fret: ‘From this and that, will I ever rebound?!’
They demand center stage, refusing to stay in the background.
While we may understand what differentiates this trio,
Like trials are much more difficult and challenging than tests,
And temptations trick us to fail, then fall from a plateau, 1
Still, we may despair when any one of these manifests.
God promises to test our minds and our hearts, 2
And to allow trials that strengthen our mettle.
He allows the tempter to throw fiery darts,
And warns us of this trio to be mindful.
If in tests, we are inclined to squirm, moan, groan, then fail,
Then in trials, hopes that we’ll endure evaporate,
And in temptations, we’ll be prey for devils to assail.
Thus, it’s on tests that we should mostly concentrate.
Tests: a chance to apply lessons introduced previously,
Like a proving ground to gage where more work may be required,
So in target areas we’ll enhance our proficiency,
And by God, the quality of our lives will be admired.
While this may be all good and generally accepted,
The Scriptures reveal God has clear, much higher objectives,
Than mere focus on things in life to which we’re subjected.
Thus He desires us to embrace His …higher perspectives.
While our eternity is His perspective, ultimate,
Scriptures give us few clues of what this will be like.
There’s more clarity on His perspective, pen-ultimate,
When we will inherit the Earth, our ‘re-birth right’. 3
Throughout The Bible, God’s eye is keen,
On the pending Millennial Reign of His Son,
When Earth once again will be pristine,
And all life will then be guided by His canon. 4
In light of this, it therefore must stand to reason,
That tests, trials and temptations of our lives, mortal,
Are closely linked to this millennial season,
When, like Him, we’ll govern Earth in bodies, immortal.
Imagine the challenges of a thousand-year government!
Perceive the posts that must be filled the world over.
Envisage complexities that demand ad hoc assignments,
As righteousness on Earth we intend to bolster.
Ponder this thought the next time a test manifests,
A helpful insight to aid in your test assessments:
Unlike school assignments that prepare us for tests,
God’s tests prepare us for millennial assignments. 5
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1 "I, The Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings." (Jeremiah 17:10) This theme is both iterated and demonstrated throughout The Bible.
2 A spiritual/moral plateau
3 Christ will inherit the Earth (Psalm 2), and His born-again saints with Him (Zechariah 14:5, Ephesians 1:11, 14 and 18).
4 Canon: a general law, rule, principle, or criterion by which things or people are judged
5 See also: Let's Test the Tester, 7 Fitness Tests Areas and Lessons and Recalibrating Our Focus
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