Eternal Perspective

Editor's note:  It's been several months since I blogged so I logged on to refresh my memory on what I last talked about and I found this "draft" post that I wrote last October.  I barely remember writing it...isn't that weird?  Anyway, even though it sounds like I'm reading someone else's blog when I re-read this, I thought I'd go ahead and post it.  It's a little different from my other posts, which is why I guess I waited to post it the first time.  Oh well...here goes:

Okay...so now you get a chance to peer into my brain.  My unconventional brain.  I actually think about eternity a lot, but probably not in the way you are thinking.  I actually don't spend much time imagining what eternity will be like.  I know a lot of people get a lot of enjoyment wondering what life will be like after this one ends, but the practical side of me can't do that very long before it feels like a waste of my time.  I guess that's because it doesn't really matter what I imagine because it will most likely be wrong.  If you knew you could stare at a mystery forever but never figure it out, why bother with it?  Just acknowledge it's a mystery and wait for it to be "revealed" later.  Can you tell I am very left-brained?  Not many creative, artistic or curious thoughts persist long in my mind...only those that actually lead to a conclusion with real meaning.  Now that's the good stuff to meditate on!  (For this reason, I have a great appreciation for those who are creative & imaginative because my mind can't seem to get beyond the question of Why is this practical in my life?  So I feel a bit stunted in that area sometimes.)

Okay...so I've spent a whole paragraph explaining what is Not on my mind.  What is on my mind is how my life fits into the realm of eternity.  Huh?...is maybe your first thought.  What I mean is, I frequently think about how eternity is forever...right?  The Bible refers to our earthly lives as being similar to an ambassadorship.  An ambassador leaves his home to live in a foreign land for a while, but they are really a representative of their homeland.  You're whole perspective of life on this earth changes when you see it in that light.  If heaven is my eternity, and it is where I am headed after this life ends, and it is my real home, and it lasts forever-  and by forever I mean a lifetime multiplied by infinite lifetimes - then what is this lifetime supposed to be?

Ultimately, I'm just visiting here.  My purpose is to honor God in all aspects of my life and make him look bigger in a world that does not know Him.  But other than that, the events that happen in my life (or anyone's life for that matter) don't matter.  Don't get me wrong...they do matter, but they only matter in the context of how God intends to use our lives.  They are His to use...and not just for the Christians.  He created all people, so the lives belong to Him to use as He pleases.

I guess I think of it like a baseball game that God is playing, and we are the balls.  Ok...go with me here.  God is playing a "game" with the enemy (no disrespect intended here) and we are the balls in the game.  God uses some...the enemy uses some.  The score has already been foretold, so we know who wins.  God chooses to take some of the balls home with him after the game is over because of their role in the game.  But the balls are expected to do what's asked of them when it's their turn at bat...not worry about whether they will be dropped, hope they don't get smacked too many times, or complain if their usefulness was short-lived.  Be a ball and serve the player.  It's God's game anyway, not the ball's.

I guess that's where we/I get hung up.  We think this game is all about us...but we are just the ball.  From His perspective, I would think that looks pretty ridiculous.  What difference does it make if we endure some suffering or experience pain?  Well, it makes a difference in the play of the game maybe...but it shouldn't make a difference to the ball how he is used in the game.

Ok.  I'm not trying to diminish the painful effects of suffering in this life.  This life can be brutal.  But frequently I find myself remembering that my life is not about me.  The odd thing is that it feels like it is all about us because it is the only way that we know to experience Life.

Someday we will see our lives from God's perspective...and what will we see?  How will we feel about it?  Hmmmm.  Good question.  These are the things that fill my mind at times.  I hope you enjoyed your visit into my deep thoughts!  Come back next time.