With Eternity in View

Most all of us have acquaintances, but true friendships that endure through the seasons of life are rare and special.  They say the best way to gain a friend, is to be a friend, and I am blessed to say that I have many friends that I have known for many years.  I’m old enough now to say, “I’ve known this person for ___ years”.  Or I might say, “We met in ___ and we’re still friends”.  Actually, it is fun to think that I am in touch with Pat, Grace, Sophie, David, Stu and Tom, all High School friends that I met in 1955 – 66 years ago.   My “BFF” Carol, and I met in 1957 and we are still close today, even after 64 years.  I started teaching school in 1965 and Betty, Sara, Sue and I, now all retired, meet two or three times a year for lunch – 56 years later.  My husband and I started attending a country church closer to home in 1968.  Betty and I sat in the cry room with our small children then, and we are still good buddies today, 53 years later.  Doris, Louanne and Joanie became friends around that time and we all get together for lunch about every three months.   I met my dear friend, Janice, about 50 years ago and we often share our faith and fears now.  My friend, Pam, and I became neighbors in 1981.  We attend the same church and have stayed friends for 40 years.  I became a Mary Kay consultant in 1986 and have been with the same director, Sara, since then – 35 years ago!  Joey started cutting my hair in 1987 and I’ve been going back to her for a cut every month for 34 years.  I met my good friend, Debbie, in 1991 – 30 years ago, and she introduced me to Pam, who has become a close friend, as well.  Oh, how I treasure these special friendships; I consider each one a gift from the Lord.

I was thinking recently that it is really difficult to grasp the true significance in years of the word “eternity”.  We just don’t have anything to gauge this word; it has no ending; it is timeless.  As believers in God, however, we are told that we will spend eternity with Him.  John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, Jesus; that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but will have eternal life”.   Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin in death, but the gift of God is eternal life”.   In I John 5:11, “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son”.  Praise the Lord for this promise!  We, as Christians, do not need to fear dying because it will be just a change of address for us.   We will spend the years of eternity in God’s presence, praising and glorifying Him, surrounded with our family and friends of this life, who also believed.  It will be a glorious and unending time with God!  This sounds pretty good to me.  How about you?

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in Me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms.  If it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am”.  John 14:1 -4

Come quickly, Lord Jesus!