Purpose Driven Live 4
One of the saddest moments in my life sprang out of an attempt to comfort a friend. The quote “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God.” (from Ro 8:28) came up and I made the comment that no matter how difficult, things are leading to a happy ending. With almost tears in her eyes, she responded, “but that is only in heaven.” She had a near-term hopelessness that sank to the very core of her being with the only consolation the insubstantial hope of heaven.
My reading and experience do not lead to the same conclusion. While heaven is the eventual reward and recompense there is much more immediate promise repeated throughout scripture. For example in Luke 12, “Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds.” My experience has been one of much more immediate realization of God’s protection and providence.
There have been times when I have thought I was losing something of incalculable value despite my best efforts. In the end I found that I had gained something worth far more. It has happened often enough that I now carry that confidence with me. This does not mean that the gist of the chapter “living in the light of eternity” is any less important, but God’s blessings are not withheld until some distant future.
The Author references 1Cor 2:9, “…nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him.” and then starts listing what he has conceived. I will offer only some thoughts arising from the Pharisee’s questions “whose wife will she be” or Jesus’ comment “ghosts don’t eat”. I am not sure, but they may be useful.
Eternity is not “lots and lots of time” but timeless. It is a state outside of time, a state of constancy without time, a state without change. That is why it is key to be right with God while you have “time”. Only then can you change to be right with Him. Once you have passed out of time you cannot change. You may be left in a constant state of harmony with what in life was a “still small voice.” After life, when all the distracting sensations of life are gone, that “still small voice” is an overwhelming flood of experience. If you are in harmony the bliss is unimaginable, like a loving embrace of every molecule of your being. If you are out of harmony that disharmony becomes un-masked, it becomes the “all” of your experience. A horrific timeless state.
This ties in with one of my earliest objections to the idea of eternal punishment: how can a good God punish someone and keep on punishing them for eternity for failure in a temporary life? Throughout life He stands at the door and knocks. All the opportunities in the world are offered during life even up to the last minute (e.g. the thief on cross) for each to come to harmony with Him. But if those opportunities are not accepted it is not the will of God, very specifically not His will. It is the same as when Jesus wept over Jerusalem “How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” It seems that God does not punish. His very existence is torture to those that are out of harmony with Him. During life we can avoid his presence and fill our lives with noise and busyness. After life we will see him face to face.
My reading and experience do not lead to the same conclusion. While heaven is the eventual reward and recompense there is much more immediate promise repeated throughout scripture. For example in Luke 12, “Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds.” My experience has been one of much more immediate realization of God’s protection and providence.
There have been times when I have thought I was losing something of incalculable value despite my best efforts. In the end I found that I had gained something worth far more. It has happened often enough that I now carry that confidence with me. This does not mean that the gist of the chapter “living in the light of eternity” is any less important, but God’s blessings are not withheld until some distant future.
The Author references 1Cor 2:9, “…nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him.” and then starts listing what he has conceived. I will offer only some thoughts arising from the Pharisee’s questions “whose wife will she be” or Jesus’ comment “ghosts don’t eat”. I am not sure, but they may be useful.
Eternity is not “lots and lots of time” but timeless. It is a state outside of time, a state of constancy without time, a state without change. That is why it is key to be right with God while you have “time”. Only then can you change to be right with Him. Once you have passed out of time you cannot change. You may be left in a constant state of harmony with what in life was a “still small voice.” After life, when all the distracting sensations of life are gone, that “still small voice” is an overwhelming flood of experience. If you are in harmony the bliss is unimaginable, like a loving embrace of every molecule of your being. If you are out of harmony that disharmony becomes un-masked, it becomes the “all” of your experience. A horrific timeless state.
This ties in with one of my earliest objections to the idea of eternal punishment: how can a good God punish someone and keep on punishing them for eternity for failure in a temporary life? Throughout life He stands at the door and knocks. All the opportunities in the world are offered during life even up to the last minute (e.g. the thief on cross) for each to come to harmony with Him. But if those opportunities are not accepted it is not the will of God, very specifically not His will. It is the same as when Jesus wept over Jerusalem “How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” It seems that God does not punish. His very existence is torture to those that are out of harmony with Him. During life we can avoid his presence and fill our lives with noise and busyness. After life we will see him face to face.
posted by Mark at 21:59
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