The Hope of Eternity
Disclaimer – I am not a musician. I play no musical instruments. I'm not really gifted in music. And while I may make a joyful noise at times, it’s mostly just noise – or so I’ve been told! I have, however, noticed a shift in Christmas music; not in style but in lyrics. Many songs in the recent past – okay, dating myself here – had a strong outward focus on the anticipation and longing for the second coming of Jesus, confessing sin and getting saved, and responding to the call of missions. Remember Scott Wesley Brown’s “Please don’t send me to Africa”? Many recent songs seem to have shifted their lyrics toward an inward focus on feelings, being loved, accepted, etc. Not all wrong, but have we lost our hope and longing for eternity? While many believers around the world live in an environment of marginalization and open persecution, we in the West have largely found ourselves in an environment of freedom and affluence. Have we lost our longing for the Lord’s return and the hope of eternity because of this? Are we more concerned about RRSPs and the need to invest for retirement than we are about preparing for eternal investments?
My passport is up for renewal, and I'm reminded that I am a citizen of Canada with rights and privileges. Yet, as a follower of Jesus, I am ultimately a citizen of heaven, my ultimate home that holds more than my eyes can see or my heart imagines. The Apostle Paul opens his letter to Titus, stating, “ in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began” (Titus 1:2). Eternity was not an afterthought because of our fall into sin. Heaven was not created because God was lonely or we needed a good place to go after death. The hope of eternity began long before the creation of the world. Long before the creation of humanity that would eventually fall into sin and be separated from God, the Creator.
God, in his omniscience, knew that we would sin. His promise of a Savior back in Genesis chapter 3, the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and His resurrection, demonstrated the love of God and His desire that we be restored to fellowship with Him through faith. He took the initiative promised, as Paul rightly stated, “before the ages began.” Our worship today is but a rehearsal for eternity. The hope of eternity is not just heaven; it is a restored relationship with our heavenly Father, worshipping Him for eternity.
As we begin to think about the Easter season coming up, we are reminded also of the hope of eternity. The resurrection demonstrated the power of the Gospel not just to cover our sin, but to pay the required penalty fully, to blot out our sin completely, and restore us to fellowship with our heavenly Father. Music lyrics and shifting styles aside, the hope of eternity is that inner longing and outward ministry activity as we wait for His return, not only to escape this sin-ravaged world, but to see face-to-face the one who died in our place that we might live eternally in His presence.
Longing for His return!
Rev. Bill Allan, AGC President