Eternity. What comes to mind when you think about eternity? Does it bring fleeting feelings, and thoughts that don’t bare any weight? Or does it bring a sense of joy understanding that one day there will be no more pain, no more suffering and we will truly be at perfect peace in the presence of our creator and king forever?
I must admit the human side of me definitely has a hard time comprehending eternity and what that truly means for us. As I look through stories in scripture, eternity was the hope that was always being shared. In the old testament, the prophets referred often to a time/day that all would be made right. In the new testament, if it wasn’t from Jesus himself it was from his disciples and apostles proclaiming there will be a day when death shall be no more and we will see our God face to face. You would think knowing this would make what we have to endure on this Earth slightly easier.
But how do we wake up in the morning and keep this hope of eternity at the center of what we do? Simple…
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:7-9, 16-18
Eternity is the hope that we have! They are one and the same. Earth is not our home. We are meant to be eternal beings experiencing eternal things in heaven with God. Jesus made a way for that to happen.
Every morning before my feet hit the floor I say the Shema prayer. Not out of ritual but to remind me that there is a God and He is spirit and truth. He is one mighty God and He loves me. I remind my flesh to love Him with all my heart, soul, and mind, as well as, to love my neighbor as myself. My faith is in Him and not myself. We are not alone. He is with us and has given us each other to walk out this journey together. So do not lose heart!
Fix our eyes on what is not seen…Eternity!
Join us next week for a special Christmas Week Devotional beginning on Monday, December 19th!