I have to admit I have never really thought about life or Christianity in such a way as this… That when you become a Christian you start living eternally. Eternal life begins the very minute you receive Jesus and your Saviour. WOW! Yes you still go through the trials of everyday life and you have to die, unless Jesus returns before then, but you have the promise of life forever from that very moment!
When I sat and thought about it, I actually didn’t know why I hadn’t thought about it before, I mean it makes perfect sense really. I guess I’d just always thought of eternal life as something that happens when I die…like my reward! But my reward has already started! And as a Christian and follower of Jesus it is my goal and my life’s mission and desire to share him with as my people as I possibly can! Why wouldn’t I want to share that promise and hope with everyone!
I have also never thought in depth about where my citizenship really lies until I was studying Philippians 3 with my home group tonight. What does it mean for my citizenship to be in Heaven?!
Put simply…I am passing through this earth to get to Heaven, where I belong! WOW!
Wednesdays aren’t the easiest day of the week at the minute. As I sat on the sofa drinking coffee this morning words from C.S. Lewis popped into my head. The guy that put together my granny’s tribute for her funeral is an English teacher and an absolute legend of a guy and he found the perfect illustration to show the hope that we, as Christians, have and must cling to when someone close to us passes away.
Frances Elizabeth Glasgow left her family peacefully an hour before midnight on Wednesday and was welcomed into God’s family gathered around his throne in glory forever.
At the end of C. S. Lewis’ novel, The Last Battle, on the final page of the very last book in “The Chronicles of Narnia”, Aslan speaks to Peter, Edmund and Lucy. He talks to them about the fact that their lives have ended and that they, with their parents, have gone to the “Shadowlands” or Heaven. This is what he says:
“The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning. And as He spoke He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”
Betty has now begun to be a part of this new story.
We can only give thanks to the Lord for the long, full and very special life that Betty lived. And commend her family into the love, comfort and peace of Almighty God.
I love how Lewis puts it. That our time on earth is only the beginning. That can only fill us with hope and excitement for what comes next!
I went to bed almost 2 hours ago…it is now 2am and I am still awake! It is always in this time of not sleeping at night that my mind races about all sorts of things!
Well tonight it has been thinking about how every little aspect of our life, past, present and future matters and has already be planned out for us and contributes to life! I’ve probably written about something similar to this before, about how sometimes I find myself waiting for my life to start and how I generally find myself not living my life now, but waiting or planning for the next stage! Don’t get me wrong, planning is sometimes necessary, thinking about the future is important, but it’s also funny to think that really we can plan and plan and plan till our heart’s content, but unless we talk to God and seek His will for our lives, we may as well write a book that never gets published…because in my mind that’s sort of a waste of time! Sorry if you disagree!
Like the message I received earlier today said which I mentioned in my 365 – ‘keep your eyes on Jesus!’ Something which I do need to be reminded to do! Too often, I don’t do this! How easy is it to just live, and forget about the full picture. (my housemate has been thinking along slightly similar lines!) Forget that every small detail of our life is part of bigger things which we don’t always see at the time! I live life everyday (obviously) and sometimes hardly give a second thought to Jesus, who, let’s face it, ultimately gave me life! When I am reminded to keep my eyes on Jesus, I find myself getting happier, I feel a comforting presence which sometimes I can’t even describe but it is amazing though! Almost overwhelming!
God loves us and fills us with His love! He is there when we go through hard times! We have the promise of eternity to cling to when things are going rough! Life on earth isn’t very long compared to eternal life, with Jesus, in Heaven! I cannot wait to see what it’s gonna be like! To be honest I can’t even really begin to imagine what Heaven will be like! Life with no pain, no sadness, no suffering, no hunger, no thirst, no guilt, no worries….oh my goodness
Exciting!!
Here’s a little taster of God’s promises for our lives! I love youtube videos! don’t be distracted by the backgrounds…read the words of our Heavenly Father! Meditate on them, listen to what God is saying to you through these words:
except I hate how one video leads to another because I’ve just watched about 30 and its now 2:29am!! BOKE!
Its always when I set my alarm for 8am or earlier that I can’t sleep!!
Oh and with regard to the title of this blog…a dog has been barking nearly the whole time I’ve been in bed, and as soon as I typed the title…it stopped!! WOW!
don’t be distracted by the backgrounds…read the words of our Heavenly Father! Meditate on them, listen to what God is saying to you through these words:
