LightGrams
February 9, 2017
Volume 21, Number 6
When I was young I loved playing in the snow. Almost every new snowfall would find me rolling balls of snow as I constructed a snowman. I knew my creation would not last beyond the 32-degree mark. My best work was doomed from the outset.
There’s a lot more talent on display at the U.S. National Snow Sculpting Competition, held annually in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. This year’s event has already concluded, and if you’d like to marvel over some of the creations, click on this link.
Fifteen teams compete for top awards, and each team has three members. They will spend about 100 hours with their creations; event organizers report that each team will consume about 30 mugs of coffee and hot cocoa during their sculpting. Only a few photos of the event will confirm that these folks are serious about their work!
I’m amazed at the sculptures produced during this event. Some of them appear to be museum-worthy. It would have to be a chilly museum, however, to put them on display. Even the most breathtaking ones will melt before long.
Whether you and I produce anything that can be classified as a masterpiece, we are sometimes proud of what we accomplish. But what will become of our best work? Will it, too, melt with time?
The Preacher grumbled over such a realization in Ecclesiastes 2:11: “Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.” And this was from someone whose accomplishments were notable (see Ecclesiastes 2:1-10).
The Preacher’s musing makes us wonder: Even if we rise to great heights in life with honors and awards bestowed – what will it matter 100 years from now?
Paul had a different perspective on this question – a heavenly one: “… I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed until that Day” (2 Timothy 1:12).
Hebrews 6:10 states the truth in this way: “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” Our labors will never be forgotten by our Creator.
These lines from a poem by C.T. Studd speak the lesson clearly: “Only one life, ’twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.”
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2017, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “Tim@GraceMine.org” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
Permission to reproduce and/or use the messages for noncommercial purposes is freely granted provided the messages are not altered.