Eternity.

So this is totally just a storm in my brain. So forgive my scattered thoughts.

I have been at constant battle with myself over making wise decisions concerning my future.  That is a lengthy story in itself, but that’s not what inspires me today.

As a child I believed in God. And I knew He loved me and I knew I loved Him back. But it wasn’t until I was in 7^th grade that the Lord opened my eyes and revealed Himself to me.  The thing about that though is this: I was terrified into my salvation.  Obviously, at such a young age I didn’t understand the concept of grace and undeserving love.  However, I had an understanding of eternity.  If a person can find a way to believe in eternity, they will find a way to Jesus.  Because let’s be honest…it’s terrifying.  It’s terrifying as an adult to wonder where you’ll spend eternity, but as a twelve year old?

Every night I begged Jesus to come into my heart and forgive me for being a sinner.  I was twelve and I didn’t understand.  I heard that He would “come like a thief in the night”.  To me that meant that on any given night my family and I would be murdered by huge Roman men in armor with swords and knives (I don't know why they had to be Roman. That's just what I imagined).  And to top it off, there would be fire everywhere.

At age twelve I thought Jesus was coming back really soon.  And it felt urgent.  Even though my choices were driven by fear at that time, I still understood the urgency.  Today I think about what matters and I can’t help but go back to that young innocent mind. 

So easily we get sucked into this world.  Maybe not you, but I know I allow myself to get sucked in.  Even as I type this, there is a war going on in my mind.  It’s the ever-so-familiar battle between practicality and faith.  It’s a war that hurts the soul because it forces you to choose between trusting the world and trusting God.  This is what happens: I start to believe lies and begin to settle for what the world has to offer, because that’s much easier to do.  My world-taught survival instincts take control of my mind and I totally forget that my God is sovereign and can move mountains if necessary.

Going back to my views as a child; Jesus will return someday.  There is an urgency that comes with that truth.  It does have to do with salvation.  Maybe not my own this time.  It's written that the Gospel of Jesus will reach every nation and tribe before His return.  Some, like me, may have silly thoughts of “Why then are missionaries trying to reach the unreachable? Surly they aren’t ready for Jesus to come back yet.” But that is what Jesus commands His disciples to do, yeah?  Take the Gospel to the world.  Why would He want us to put urgency on things that He said will lead to His return?

It’s because He wants us with Him!  He's preparing our real home.  WE DO NOT AND NEVER WILL BELONG HERE.  Life in this world will always be uncomfortable (this is simple to believe when you’re a new college graduate).  But somehow, we manage to settle and make this life feel comfortable.  We are royalty, but we’ve accepted lives of displacement.  We have an inheritance and it is in Heaven with our creator and our Savior.

So I'm just thinking, if we were to really live in light of eternity, do you think our short lives on earth would be better spent?  Do you think it might be less tempting to conform to the pattern of this world.  Today, I really believe so.

~Happy 80^th birthday Grandpa!