You, in the context of eternity

How we see ourselves in the context of eternity can either leave us with a sense of insignificance or with a sense of awe at the beauty and value of our lives far beyond the confines of our time on earth. If our lives had no greater meaning than the few decades we are alive, then a sense of utter insignificance would be the only rational response … but there is something of eternal significance in man.

One of the first concepts I was taught in art was ‘perspective’. The connections between objects, the distances between them and the particular point of view all contribute to a unique perspective. I soon learnt that one point of view can hide the beauty in a scene, while another can reveal it. Nowhere is perspective more important than when we look at ourselves. Identity can be defined as an individual’s comprehension of him or herself as a separate entity.

In practical terms this means that people tend to see themselves within the context of certain cultures, races and social settings to mention but a few of the broader influences. Language and location can have a profound effect on people’s view of themselves. There are obviously more personal influences such as relationships with friends and family, not to mention the effect that personal experience has upon us. The list goes on and on – we find security in seeing ourselves in the context of something familiar.

It’s in the midst of this that Jesus reveals a dimension, a context called eternity, so broad and so different that it totally disorientates us. Every temporal reference we use to locate and identify ourselves is challenged by the revelation Christ brings. In fact He plainly says that unless we lose our lives – lose our sense of identity – we will never find our true identity. In Jesus we encounter a new context to our lives – a perspective in which the distance that we believed to be between us and God, is cancelled.

Eternity dwarfs both our greatest achievements and deepest disappointments to minuscule size. Yet despite the seeming meaninglessness of our lives when placed in this context it also reveals our true value, for there is a part of us which is not temporal. “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, without which man cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” (Eccl 3:11 LIT) God has placed eternity in our hearts so that we can have access into realms beyond the here and now, beyond the temporal, beyond the material. Because we are eternal beings, questions regarding eternity stir within us. He is not offended when we ask about these great mysteries – He placed those questions in our hearts so that we would seek and find. These questions are in-built invitations from our eternal Origin to reach into the spirit realm and find Him there.