The first rays of sunlight bursting through the trees burned off the morning mist rising off the pond. A pull of strong coffee did the same for the fog in my head as I soaked in the beauty of the scene and of God’s Word before me.

Moments like these are precious. So naturally we revel in them. Yet my bliss was followed by another natural response- how can I keep this? How can I capture it to make sure that I have this experience again tomorrow?

As an overseas worker in an Asian mega-city, such pastoral scenes are all too rare. Our brief summer visits with family in rural America is to our soul what Central Park is to New York City. So when I experienced that golden morning, I started to think of what it would be like if I had such a place. Well, I’d put a bench here. Some landscaping there. Maybe I could expand the pond a little… I began to understand Peter wanting to pitch a tent at the scene of Jesus’ glory.

Then conviction stung me- why do I always strive to contain and recreate God’s situational blessings instead of simply enjoying the passing moments with gratefulness? Like a child caging a frog instead of marveling as it hops free, I try to contain God’s blessings so I can pull them out on demand.

I’m relieved to know I’m not alone in this struggle. God knew of this human tendency when he provided manna to feed his people. He warned that it must be enjoyed daily, never stored up except in preparation for Sabbath. Those who failed to heed God’s warning found a rank mess rather than the sweet wafers they craved.

The biblical object lesson hit home for me. Trying to bottle up God’s temporal blessings is a fool’s errand. Instead, Christ calls us to return daily to the Father to ask for the nourishment we need. If it’s true of bread for the body, why should it be any different for these blessings that enrich the soul?

That idyllic morning taught me to treasure these moments as they come. Life is fleeting. It’s a vapor. Even sweet times of reunion with aging parents and growing children are tinged with impending loss. Neither wallowing in the nostalgia of what was lost nor trembling over the future will change this. Only walking daily with Christ redeems our days. With Jesus, we appreciate the moments even as they fade into memory because we know he will remain with us as we walk ahead.

While taking my son to college a week after my perfect morning by the pond, I found myself awake early at a budget hotel. Reading by the fluorescent glare from the bathroom, with stale lobby coffee in hand, I paged through Colossians. Yet God’s Word was just as glorious as before as I read of the wonders of what Christ has done for me.

In Christ, we are free to experience the blessings God gives, no matter how fragile they may be, because we know he will always remain with us. And that, the author of Hebrews says, is how we are freed from the relentless pursuit of temporary blessing. That is how we are released from clinging onto these ephemeral treasures – by remembering Jesus’ promise to always be with us.

The perfect view from our dream home may be spoiled by new construction. The car we love to drive will break down. Even our loved ones may be taken from us too soon. Yet the dissolving of this earthly manna serves to turn our eyes to the One who so generously gave it in the first place.

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5 ESV