Devotions Archive Archive: 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Search Archive Print This Article Always and forever Wednesday, April 2, 2003 John 3:14-16, 5:24-29 Jesus said to them, 14) "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15) that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16) "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ... 24) "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. 25) I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26) "For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. 27) And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. 28) "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29) and come out ..." A note from a friend, "How do you feel that people are eternal?" prompts me to consider something I've read over and over but not thought too much about. What is eternal, anyway?* The Bible and/or the church talks about eternal life, eternity, eternal salvation, eternal damnation, eternal security. The dictionary's definition of eternal is "without beginning or end, unchanged by time, unceasing." The Bible's first words are "In the beginning God created..." God came "before" the beginning. On the other hand, we did not. So our "eternity" comes later. None of us experiences existence outside time. We are not without beginning. We do not seem to be "unchanged" by time. Instead, change is a constant in our physical, temporal, temporary lives. Yet Jesus speaks often of our "eternal life". He beckons to us, invites us, promises us his presence beyond the grave. And he says that life after death will be defined either by God's presence or his absence; that is the meaning of heaven and hell. Our lives have no permanent existence or meaning outside this context. But within it, we do indeed live forever. Forever you are Lord, you are my Lord, you will be with me, I will be with you, always. Always. Forever in eternity. *Vineyard songwriter Brian Doerkson cuts through semantics and philosophy with these beautiful lyrics: Eternity I will be yours You will be mine Together in eternity Out hearts of love Will be entwined Together in eternity Forever in eternity No more tears of pain In our eyes No more fear or shame For we will be with you Yes, we will be with you Copyright © 1994 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. "; Add      Edit    Delete