My steps to heaven
I realize that our minds are not capable of understanding God, the Holy Trinity or Eternity. But I think each of us has a mindset or an idea about each of these illusive ideas. One of the most difficult is Eternity.
In our American culture the clock is always ticking. We measure everything by time. God forbid if I moment goes by without us being aware of how much time it took to be happy, sad or bored. One of my seniors actually said “In a perfect world we would not need sleep. If we did not need sleep think of how much more productive we would be?” This student is very intelligent and thoughtful. He has been raised with the constraints and limitations of time in our society.
So, when we try to fathom the thought of eternity – the totality of time with no beginning or end – our minds are overloaded and go straight back to something familiar like our sense of time. We can measure a second, minute, hour, day, week, month, year, decade, and a lifetime. In order for us to understand this concept we must be able to relate it to our own lives. Eternity is forever without end much like space, which is another thought that will make your mind pop!
If eternity is forever longer than anything we can every comprehend and we are certain to be in that existence after our earthly life is over; then why aren’t we working towards spending it in heaven with God? If we will have an afterlife which many religions believe then why aren’t we being the best people we can possibly be? Why aren’t we in Church, reading scriptures, listening and praying to God and doing anything and everything to do God’s will on earth so God will accept us into the eternity of heaven?
I guess because we are human. We cannot understand it so we ignore it. We are not focused on the prize; instead we are focused on making it through this lifetime. It would be wise to reflect on our lives and beliefs and then decide on a way to live so that we are living to do the Will of God. Eternity is forever and I want to spend mine in the loving embrace of God the father not suffering in the torment of the void of God for all eternity.
What do you want to do?
I think we best grasp eternity by living in the PRESENT…every encounter isn’t a distraction it is a gift when we allow our days to “unfold”. Not easy for those of us who like to plan or be in “control”. Which makes me think of one of my favorite books by Spencer Johnson, “THE PRECIOUS PRESENT”.
We aren’t IN Church (all the time) because we ARE the Church, praying always in all ways.
This makes me think of Edward Hays’ book, “PRAY ALL WAYS” reflections on a modern mysticism where the ordinary contains the extraordinary in a daily communion with the Divine.
Today to ask us to wrestle with you as you question free will and what it means to be human. To fail, ask forgiveness, to move two steps forward then one step backwards.
How about this question…will be continue to change, to grow in our love relationship, and knowledge of God when we die…for all eternity?