Eternal

I have decided I'm a "words" person.  For some reason, I really enjoy words and discovering their meanings.  God must know this about me, because one of the ways He speaks to me is with a word.  When we were going through a very painful time in our life, He simply gave me the word "Sovereign".  I had to digest that word and study that word for a while to learn what God wanted me to learn about our trying time and His sovereignty.  He's given me the word "Redeemed" to chew on and study to teach me that nothing I've ever done in life matters because the blood of Jesus has redeemed me!  "Faithful" was my last word He gave me to teach me He is always there, in the midst of everything, always by my side.

Recently the word that keeps flooding my brain is "Eternal".  A verse that has sustained me for the past few years is Ecclesiastes (or Ecclesiastics, as Evan calls it) 3:11 "He has made everything beautiful for its own time."  But the second half of that verse has recently come into focus for me..."He has planted eternity into the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end".  The word eternity means a continuous, unlimited amount of time, often with a focus on the future. 

Lately, I've been focused on what I'm doing with my life.  If it has no eternal value, then I give it up.  My work has eternal value.  Raising my children to follow God's commands.  Teaching them to love others regardless if they look like or act like us.  Ministering to children at church and showing them how to follow Christ with abandon!  Volunteering my time for organizations with an eternal mission of serving others and spreading the Gospel.  Michael has begun to live with eternity set in his heart.  Living on faith does that to a person.  You realize that nothing here on earth really matters.  It's all fleeting.  We are here for a short time.  And it's not at all about me!   "Only one life will soon be past.  Only what's done for Christ will last." 

Building lasting friendships that we'll carry into eternity.  That matters.  Serving God even when I'm tired.  That matters.  Being available to my friends whenever they  need me.  That matters.  Spending time reading my Bible and building my relationship with God.  That definitely matters!  Inviting friends over for dinner even when the budget is strapped and I'd rather just sit on my couch and play games on Facebook.  Being obedient to the things God has asked me to do.  That matters.  Showing a smile and some love to a homeless man on the street or even striking up a pleasant conversation with the gal at Walmart in my check out line.  Those things matter.  Putting on Christ and letting that show over my ugly humanness.  That matters more than you'll ever know. 

God has placed eternity into your heart.  Sometimes we have a hard time finding it because of our selfishness.  That's when we just have to "lay it down" and pick up what really matters.  Life is fleeting.  Live for eternity.