Stepping into Eternity

Wow, events in the past week have certainly been interesting, coming from wanting ‘to weep by the rivers of Babylon’ to knowing the little weeping that we do in this life is ‘tolerable’ (‘joyful weeping’?) which does not compare to eternal joy that awaits us... and wanting to go there.

...Three things helped me last week to see the bigger picture, to look past those cloudy emotions and thoughts.

I| Prayer. It is said again and again, being used repeatedly sometimes seemingly to no end. The word that rings like an endless bell that sometimes you just want to shut it up. But the reason it is echoed by so many Christians is that Prayer does work. And we don't do enough of it, no matter how much it is said, even in repetition.
How does prayer work? Well, you sit quietly in your room, in the dark, and humble yourself before the Majestic King of the Heavens and the Earth. You meditate on how small you are, because everything around you is so big, not just in the spatial sense, but in the grand scheme of things, the centuries gone by, those who have come before you, and if God so permits, even after you have gone from this world, the next generation that will come after you, follow in your footsteps. Sometimes you speak, and sometimes you don’t; meditation is good, read Psalm One.

But here is the catch. Prayer can only be experienced truly if you do it - truly. If you don’t put time and effort into it, it will not work; for prayer is a relationship between yourself and the Lord of the Universe. As we all know, relationships fall apart if you don’t “put in”, just like a fire – relationships have to be constantly “checked” - A fire with no fuel is no fire at all, but a pile of charred black coal waiting to be blown away like “chaff in the wind”.
Work on your prayer life, ask God to work through your prayers; Jesus' disciples asked Jesus how they should pray, we should too. You will not be disappointed.

II| Music. I love music. What would I do without my ears. What would I do without simple harmonies and soft rock. Great music for anytime and for any day. If any of you listen to Tracy Chapman, you’ll know what I mean – what a great voice, accompanied by great guitar.

III| Friends. People play a big part in one’s life, especially so for those who know you well and you see regularly. The comment posted in my previous blog – thank you! And to all my long-time-since-first-year-Christian-Union-University-friends, there is no substitute for you, any of you; I thank God every time I remember you all.

Some words from Tracy Chapman that reflect in the lives of a lot of my friends (myself included):

“There is fiction in the space between
You and reality
You will do and say anything
To make your everyday life
Seem less mundane
There is fiction in the space between
You and me”

So true, but fortunately not hopeless. Christ left his heavenly riches in Heaven to live amongst us, the poor and hopeless in spirit (and as it would seem) the poor/hopeless in an unfulfilling earth-bound-life. He redeems us and makes our lives worth living – “I have come to give life and give it to the full.” Not just for heaven but for now, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” And ain’t that an offer worth considering, if not whole-heartedly embracing.

The last week has made me more eager to step into Eternity, not that I’m suicidal, but in supernatural mysteries unfathomable, Eternity suddenly does not seem so far away; it is just one step away, one step away from this life - once I take that step, there is no going back, there is no looking back. And albeit one has to die to step into Eternity, the Eternal Joy that awaits us, the Eternal Joy that beckons us – those who have been sanctified by his blood on the Cross - is incomparable, just like our Lord and our King, Jesus Christ of Nazareth...

...Simply Incomparable.