Monday, July 25, 2011

I may run out of time, but I have lots of eternity

I am so busy all the time—usually thinking about how little of it I have, or how fast it is going—I forget I am eternal. How much ‘time’ do you spend thinking about ‘eternity?’

When we get tired of waiting, we may say it feels like an eternity. In other words, we think of eternity as an extremely long time. But eternity actually isn't a long time at all. It has nothing to do with time. And it is more of a sphere than place. And most significantly, it is where God lives. “For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy” (Isaiah 57:15).

Jesus told us “In my Father’s house are many mansions” (John 14:2). The word “mansions” is an unfortunate translation, found only in the King James Version. It literally means abode (dwelling). The word appears only one other place in the Bible.  Later in John's gospel, Jesus tells his disciples, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him” (14:23).

God is eternal, lives in eternity, and (amazingly) dwells in our hearts.  Now can you understand Solomon's words: God has “put eternity in your hearts.”   (Ecc. 3:11).  That should be reassuring to us who are concerned about running out of time.  More importantly, thinking "eternal" will certainly put a proper perspective on what happens "in time."

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