Grasping Eternity

A couple nights ago, Luke and I watched The Case for a Creator, a movie based on Lee Strobel's book by the same title. I'm not a science person. I never have been. It's all over my head. But as we watched that movie, and scientific fact after scientific fact was explained to me in real and vivid ways, I began to marvel at the mind-boggling intricacy of our world and of the human body in a way that I never had before. I began to realize just how unique and, most importantly, infinite our God is. And as I thought more and more about how infinite God is and his kingdom is, I began to truly understand how finite and small this world and the lives we live on it are.

I think this is something that I have been feeling and experiencing for quite some time, and I just didn't know exactly how to put it into words. It goes against everything that we as human beings, in a world that thrives on self-worship and self-gratification, want to believe in. We WANT our careers to matter so that we have an excuse to climb the ladder and be recognized by our peers. We WANT our happiness and comfort to matter so that we have an excuse to indulge our desires. But the truth is that these things DON'T matter. We are put here for the sole purpose of glorifying God and furthering His kingdom.

In every moment of every day, we need to be weighing our thoughts and actions against this eternal perspective. If Christ were to return today, what would come of each of those little moments? God is not concerned with whether or not my life was simply "good." He is not going to be satisfied with a life lived merely avoiding sin. While our salvation rests solely on our trust in Jesus Christ as our savior, the Bible also very clearly tells us that the actions of believers WILL be counted. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." (emphasis added) This is speaking to believers here. We WILL be rewarded according to the measure of our works. Jesus says in Revelation 22:12, "'Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.'" (emphasis added) And the more reward we receive, the more we will have to lay at our savior's feet, knowing that we have run the race well.

So let's ask ourselves, in every single thought and deed throughout our day, "Will this reap an eternal reward in heaven, or will its moment of glory be here today and tomorrow be blown away with the chaff?" If our answer is the latter, then let us honor the commitment we made to Christ when we took up the cross and decided to follow him, and find something better to do with our time. Let's choose to live our lives wholly for him. Rather than merely praising his name with our mouths, while living our lives for the temporary fun and rewards that the world has to offer (which aren't necessarily "sinful"), let's choose to think only on the things of heaven and live only in a way which will further the eternal kingdom of Christ and reap an eternal reward in heaven.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things." Philippians 4:8