Eternal Hope
If
you’re anything like me, you have struggled with fear over the future,
especially fear over the eternal future. As a child, I was afraid of the coming
of Christ. I would lie awake during late night thunderstorms, anxious, and
terrified that Christ was returning! Even as a Christian adult, I have feared
this event. It is like that country song with the lyrics, “Lord I want to go
heaven, but I don’t want to go tonight!” That has been me, shamefully, and
sometimes still is.
Lately,
though, God is replacing the fear of the eternal future with expectant joy over
it. I realize that part of my struggles to be satisfied in Christ alone, to
derive my confidence and joy from Him and not others, is that I have not fully
embraced the hope to which I have been called. He is calling me to live a Holy
life, set-apart for His purposes, and though I have tried to do this, I have
not always been successful.
I think the reason for my
lack of success is that I have not completely “bought in” to the goodness of
God. I can’t live a life of Holiness if I don’t fully embrace the eternal
perspective. It is impossible to serve two masters! I will continue to live for
my own flesh until I grasp God’s greatness.
I am
beginning to “get it”, and I am setting out this summer to discover, dissect,
and fully embrace the love Christ has for me. I want to derive my confidence
from Jesus Christ. I want to receive my worth and value from Jesus Christ. I do
not want my self-confidence to rest upon how people view me, even people who I
highly respect. I do not want to feel a stinging pain when I don’t get the reaction
from other people that I want, a reaction that my sinful flesh needs in order
to feel affirmed and not rejected. This is an incorrect perspective and it is
in fact, placing my pearls before swine- that is placing my value, a value that
has been deemed priceless by the God of the Universe, into the hands of mere
mortals who are, like me, tainted by sin.
We
are called to edify and affirm one another, but not provide the price for our
souls. No, that was already provided by Jesus Christ. He paid all. We cannot
add to our value. What more is there to add? I am setting out this summer to
explore how deep and how wide is the love of Christ and to base my hope and
confidence upon this perfect love.
