Living in light of the future

In our readings today we are introduced to Esau, perhaps the quintessential example of the person who lives in the present with no regard for the future. Because of his being the firstborn he had the special blessing of the birthright. That birthright provided him with physical and spiritual blessings both for the present and future. Esau could have had a very secure future. But Esau "despised" his birthright. To satisfy his short-term desire (he was hungry) he traded his birthright to his brother. For something only physical which only satisfied him momentarily, he gave up something far grander. Esau lived only for the desire of the present moment and came to lose much because of it.
In Matthew 24 Jesus encourages his auditors to live in the present in light of the future. He lays out the coming events: wars, earthquakes, tribulation,.....the coming of Christ. Then he urges his listeneres to be found ready, aware, doing the work of their master until He returns. He warns them not to be like the people of Noah's days who were eating and drinking (perhaps only satisfying their present desires) and completely oblivious to the coming judgment.
The Apostle Paul seemed to live this way. Even as we met him in our reading (Acts 24) we saw that he lived in light of the resurrection, and when he spoke to Felix he spoke to him about coming judgment. Paul lived in light of these future realities and sought to awaken others to them.
The application is clear. It is so easy to live in the present, seeking to satify the desires of the moment. And if that was all there is to life, that would be fine. Even Paul said that if there is no resurrection of the dead it is best to "eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow you may die". But we do not believe that fulfilling present desires is all there is to life. We believe, as Christians, that we have a future. There is life after death. There is heaven. Christ is coming again and will reward those that loved His return. There is a coming judgment when Christ will make all right and fully restore all that was lost when mankind chose to go "their own way". May God help us, through the presence of Christ who lives in us, to live today (and every day) informed by the coming glories that Christ has prepared for us.