Allow me to prelude this post with the point of my blogs. As you can see, the title of my blog is, Honest thoughts pt. 1. I actually didn't realize that title would stay throughout all of my posts. I would like to remove the "pt. 1" from the title. Unfortunately, it's there and I'm just going to leave it that way! The title still gives readers the idea that all my posts are just thoughts that I may have throughout my life as a follower of Jesus Christ (the one who truly transformed my life), a husband, a youth pastor, and an outdoor enthusiast. I am writing this post based on a thought I had while preparing for our Junior High youth group service tonight. My goal behind this post, is to get you "thinking".
A gentlemen in our church was describing to me a conversation he had with his father. At the time, his father was 92 years old. The man asked his father something along the lines of, "Dad, how fast has 92 years gone by?" The fathers reply was, "You don't want to know!" The father was implying that it goes by very fast. 92 years old, he had lived a great life up to that point and passed shortly after that conversation. The son, who was in his 60's, was left pondering his own life and just how quickly it can come and go.
I would love to take this time to share how important our very actions are. How we can make a difference with this life or we can choose to let it pass us by. In the Bible, the author James writes, "How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog-it's here a little while, then it's gone." (James 4:14, New Living Translation) The morning fog. That stuff that looms over Mossyrock, WA in the early winter and late spring. It usually hangs out until 10:00 or 11:00 AM then disappears. Fog, the cloud that drifts over the Golden Gate bridge and gives commuters and tourists a shorter field of vision, but then fades into the sea and sky. We're all aware of fog and it's vapor like presence. James is telling us to pay attention to today. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. This life is short, make the most of the present! This is a great topic that deserves much attention...but...not today! Today, my thought goes a little further.
If this life we live, which seems to drag at times but then can then pass all too quickly at other times, is our main focus, then what is eternity like? I'm only 29 years old, but I've learned a few things in life.
1. I don't know as much as I think I do!
2. Solomon was wise by asking God for wisdom. (Think about that for a second!)
3. When I begin to tell others that I am humble, I run the risk of no longer being humble.
4. I have the greatest wife. I don't show her enough just how incredible she is and how much she means to me.
If this is what 28 years of living has shown me, what is eternity going to be like?
Now obviously trying to explain it would be "Mission Impossible". For starters, I cannot accurately describe eternity because I have not experienced it. In fact, I am not able to describe what 50 years is like.
So I begin my conclusion with this, try to wrap your brain around ETERNITY. The dictionary has two definitions; "Infinite or unending time" and "A state to which time has no application, timelessness". Umm, how does that work? Unending time, timelessness, but yet a state to which time has no application. Apparently the dictionary is unable to adequately describe eternity. Which is understandable, the dictionary was written by mankind, we're not the creators of eternity so we aren't able to put into words the definition of eternity.
For the sake of this post, I'm going to imagine eternity in Heaven. God has promised Heaven to those who accept Jesus Christ as Savior and live a life that brings God glory. So I sit here and ponder eternity in Heaven. I think about the individuals that will be there before me. I think about the aspect of time and not having an end. What will our schedules look like? What will it feel like to exist for so long? The thoughts grow more and more as I meditate on the topic.
This post isn't about making the most of your life right now. I'll save that for another day! This post has one purpose. To get you thinking about eternity. Just take a few moments today or maybe this week, to think about eternity. Some of you reading this may not believe as I do…that all of us will be spending eternity in one of two locations. I am not going to get that discussion started on this post. This isn't about whether or not you believe in Heaven or Hell, or if you don't believe in life after death. I would love to discuss such matters with any one who may have questions regarding the topic, just not on here! Nonetheless, you can still "think" about eternity regardless of what you believe.
Once you have thought about eternity and tried your best to understand it, think about your beliefs on eternity. If you would like a Christian perspective on the subject of Eternity and living a life based on the thought that we will spend eternity somewhere, read the book, Driven by Eternity written by John Bevere. It's an amazing book and I highly recommend it. But for starters, just take the time to focus on Eternity. I believe God wants all of us to have an eternal perspective as we live here on earth. If we can change our way of thinking to be focused on the "Bigger Picture", we'll notice a change in our hearts and behaviors. Problems in this world won't distract us so much.
