Day 38

Driven By Eternity

Christianity asserts that every individual human being is going to live forever, and this must be either true or false. Now there are a good many things which would not be worth bothering about if I were going to live only seventy years, but which I had better bother about very seriously if I am going to live forever.
— C.S. Lewis

Audio readingDriven By EternityAudio in preparation

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Many things lost in life can be restored; however, time misused can never be recovered. Once the sun goes down, the day is forever gone.

John Bevere

He who lays up treasures on earth spends his life backing away from his treasures. To him, death is loss. He who lays up treasures in heaven looks forward to eternity; he's moving daily toward his treasures. To him, death is gain. He who spends his life moving toward his treasures has reason to rejoice. Are you despairing or rejoicing?

Randy Alcorn

Lord, let me know my [life’s] end and [to appreciate] the extent of my days; Let me know how frail I am [how transient is my stay here].

Psalms 39:4, AMP

For each of us, the story of our lives on earth is being written to echo right into eternity. As the wise preacher noted, ‘There is a time to born and a time to die’. When the clock stops ticking for a person, all the dreams, opportunities, visions and interests they wished to pursue cease on this side of life. Then comes a transition into eternity, hopefully one of bliss and peaceful rest with the Lord. Others may enjoy, sustain or further the works we did on earth but Scriptures reveal that these works will have implications in the afterlife. In Revelations 14:13, we read that those who die in the Lord rest from their labours and their works follow them. Thus, we must live the one life we have on earth to make the most eternal relevance.

Recently, I read a scripture that alarmed me:

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”

Matthew 7:21-23, ESV

I thought this Christian life is all about doing great things in the name of the Lord. Obviously, the gift of prophecy that is highly coveted today and mighty works may not count. The only thing that matters is doing the will of our heavenly Father. So, I ask, “Is what you are doing sanctioned by God? Is it for self- glorification or God’s glory? Are you living in intimate fellowship with the Lord and confident that He knows you. Throughout the 40 days I have been asking myself such questions too. Why am I having this fast and what is the motive? Regular personal examinations of this sort by the Spirit’s help are crucial so don’t live or run our race in vain.

It is so easy to view eternity as a future event or phase awaiting us when we die. But eternity is already in motion and the earlier we embrace this reality the better. When we enter a relationship with Jesus, the Son of God, we have the advantage of making lasting impact. This is why John writes: “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son (1 John 5:11, NKJV).

Eternity will reveal the true value of our lives and works. What is esteemed on this life may not necessarily draw much commendation from God so we should be mindful to set our priorities right. As we see from Jesus’ parable about Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16:19-31, the tables can turn in eternity if our lives and hearts were not invested in the right things. So, we must not envy the prosperity of the wicked who seem to enjoy on this side of life while disregarding God. We should be more concerned about what we are doing with the resources God has committed to us. To whom much is given, much is expected. Being blessed with much puts greater responsibility on us to seek and apply wisdom.

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Psalm 90:12, KJV

Though thoughts about life’s brevity may make us uncomfortable, we must consider how our choices will impact posterity when we are no more. Failure to plan for this has plunged many families into very chaotic situations. We saw how the death of the prophet in 2 Kings 4 plunged his family into debt. In 1 Kings 1:1- 11, we realize that David’s family will have gone into devastating feuds over his succession, had it not been for the intervention of Nathan and other faithful servants of the King. Some of his trusted men turned their allegiance to the rebel, Adonijah. But the wise man, Abraham, ensured that each of his children had an allotted inheritance before he was gathered home to his fathers (Genesis 25:1-11).

Abraham gave everything he owned to his son Isaac. But before he died, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them off to a land in the east, away from Isaac.

Genesis 25:5-6, NLT

If we want coming generations to carry on without disputes, we must set things in place to ensure their wellbeing and eliminate conflicts. Make investments and insurances for them whenever possible. Write a will - this is often difficult for many as it makes the imminence death more real – but would you rather have chaos or order when you are no more? Don’t leave the inheritance of properties, wealth, and legacy you’re preparing for coming generations to chance. Ensure that there is a proper documentation of your assets and clear guidelines on people who should steward them. Remember, the dead does not have a say so don’t delay this. The time to set up your generations for an upward and forward shift is now!

We may spend time in many places but as the popular saying goes there is no place like home. One day we will return to the home that Jesus promised that he was preparing for us. Are you investing any resources in your homeland, Heaven? It’s amazing that some people think there is no life after death despite all the warnings we have received and keep receiving. Some assume that life-after-death is just an ancient myth or a figment of some people’s imagination. However, like one man of God put it: “Dead men still live” – in another realm. So many people will die and face the reality, that of a truth there is life after death. Sadly though, they won’t be able to do anything about their situation because ‘it has been appointed for man to die once and after that the judgement.’ (Hebrews 9:27)

Whatever you find yourself doing, have eternity in mind. Do it with all your heart because it is bounded by time and when the time is up for you to leave you cannot reverse the impact you would have made. You may be the secretary of an organization and that is where you have been called to be to affect the lives of the people around you. You may be someone taking care of your family, a banker, mason, doctor, lawyer, teacher. Whatever your hands find to do make sure it resonates in eternity.

“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father"

Colossians 3:17 (NLT, emphasis added)

God is preparing a city for those who are longing for that heavenly city in the heavenly country. Are you one of these people for whom the city has been prepared? Are you preparing to occupy it? Discipline yourself by the Word of God to see the eternal and permanent world as more real than this temporal, tangible world. Have a desire for the eternal world: think about it, envision it, believe it, and make yourself ready for it. This attitude is what made Abraham and other patriarchs of our faith please God and if we want to please God in our time, our faith must not deviate from this truth.

For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country — a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Hebrews 11:10-16 (emphasis added)

It is crucial we do what we have been asked to do in this life because we will not give account for another person’s assignment if that was not the task we were given or what the Lord called us for. You must know what God has called you to do and be diligent to do it. We will each stand before the Lord to render our accounts. The judgements of God are righteous and whatever verdict He will pass on that day will be final – no one will dispute His ruling because every being will come to terms with His righteous nature. He has the records of our works as His witness and there will be no objections raised in His court.

I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

John 9:4

What will the Lord say of you: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of the Lord” or “You wicked servant”? Don’t receive the cheers and applause of men only to be found wanting before the Lord on the day of reckoning. What have you been called to be – pastor, secretary, caterer, minister, singer, artist, engineer, writer, chief executive officer? What are your motives and ambitions? Examine yourself to see if you are in tune with God’s will for your life – whether you are pleasing Him or not.

This is what is recorded of David in Acts 13:36: “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God , fell asleep, was buried with his fathers…” What would heaven’s record of you be when you draw your last breath and exit this timeline of life?