My wife purchased a seafront picture frame to go with the nautical theme in our bathroom. The picture features a quote from Henry David Thoreau that says, “Live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.” What Henry David Thoreau means by this quote is quite beyond me. But, after some reflection, maybe, just maybe I am gaining a little bit of understanding of what he means — particularly the part about finding your eternity in each moment.
Until recently, I thought eternity was something that only happened once I passed from this earth. But based on some theology books by Dallas Willard, I believe that is a false view. I believe now that eternity for my life began at a very young age, probably around six or seven years old, when I trusted Jesus Christ as my Savior for the sins I commit — sin in the past, present and future — and the knowledge that God has granted me grace through all of it and that my salvation is entirely dependent on God alone. It was in this moment that eternal life began for me when I repented of my sins and surrendered my life over to Jesus. This is what the Bible describes as eternal life, or as the abundant life (John 10:10). This is when my spiritual life came alive and my eternal life kicked in. Otherwise, my eternity would be considered dead. For trusting in Jesus, the Son of God, to not just take away the penalty of death for my sins, but to trust Jesus, as a confidant, a friend, who has all authority in heaven and earth given to Him by God the Father. (Matthew 28:18). Based on Jesus’ authority of all things, He is indeed a great God, the only One and True God, but besides that, He is a great friend to those who are called the children of God. For He promises to never leave me all alone, yet it’s a difficult thing to grasp as Jesus currently resides at the right hand of God the Father and is not here on earth in a physical form at this particular time.
Yet when the time my eternal life began, Jesus promised me a “helper” — the Holy Spirit, the third person of the triune God. And, as His name implies, He is spirit. Not physically manifested, but a part of my invisible soul none the less. You know, Jesus said it wouldn’t be easy to believe after He ascended into heaven in His resurrected body. He said, “Blessed are those who believe but have not seen me.” That is what we are called to do — believe. This belief is not just a leap of blind faith but based on the knowledge of God through the recorded miracles and teachings of the Bible written from several of his original disciples on Jesus’ life. The gospel is a testimony of the true accounts written by those who actually lived with Jesus and were eye witnesses of the amazing life Jesus physically lived on this earth, a life that showed humanity how to live in the kingdom of God. How life is meant to be lived for eternity!
There is a song that I enjoy listening to as I believe it captures the moment of eternity. The song is “Hanging by a Moment” by Lifehouse. Here are the first two stanza’s of the song:
“Desperate for changing
Starving for truth
I’m closer to where I started
I’m chasing after you.
“I’m falling even more in love with you
Letting go of all I’ve held on to
I’m standing here until you make me move
I’m hanging by a moment here with you.”
I would like to close this blog with a verse of scripture from Jesus’ words that summarizes this blog for me. It is found in John 5:24.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”
Discussions to make God known 