Revisiting "The Eternal Perspective"

As a young Christian, I remember that "the eternal perspective" was a powerful theme and motivating influence on my life.  In a nutshell, Jesus calls people to give up their lives for the sake of His Eternal Kingdom.  And here it is, the eternal perspective – if we really believe what Christ taught about this 'short' life vs. eternity, then we will willingly forsake everything for the far superior reality.  This has ALWAYS been something that has caused Christians to do the most incredible things with their lives for the cause of the Gospel.  The suffering and the sacrifice only make sense if 'this life' is temporary and eternal life is just that, eternal!

For some reason, this season in my life has me pondering again this issue of the eternal perspective.  Maybe it is because I have lost my own awareness of this mindset to some degree.  I definitely think we are living in a world where many Christians are not living in light of eternity.  I have been profoundly challenged by the stories of Christian refugees that I met from Iraq – who were tortured, who lost their property, whose women were raped, whose men were killed.  How were they able to endure?  How have they come through literally "hell on earth" and yet they cling to their faith in Christ?  I believe that part of the answer is that they have internalized the eternal perspective.  They had/have a keen awareness that this world is not their home.  They lived in light of the fact that this life and all that is in it is passing away.  Their stories have changed my life.  And their stories have caused me to re-ponder eternity. 

Here is the most recent insight that came to me regarding eternity in light of the momentary nature of this world - Some die after living long lives and others die prematurely, even in infancy.  Some are healed when we pray and others are not.  Often those who are not healed live for years in chronic pain and suffering.  But when we fast forward into eternity – let's say 50 billion years from now.  None of us will be sitting around lamenting a life that ended at 3 years vs. 100 years.  A healing that didn't happen. Or a struggle that lasted a human lifetime.  NONE of that will even register on the scale of eternity.  We won't even be referencing 'this life'.  More will have happened in the previous 5 minutes of eternity than in 1000 earthly lifetimes.  This life will not matter anymore whatsoever.  This is the eternal perspective.  This is why Jesus didn't hesitate to ask people to sacrifice this life (a millisecond) for the sake of eternity.  The cost only seems high, the sacrifice only seems great if our reference point is this life.  Jesus LONGS for us to get His perspective, the perspective of His eternal Kingdom. 

May God grants us the grace, as a manifestation as ones who "have the mind of Christ" (1 Cor 2:16), to enter into His eternal mindset and may the way we live our lives reflect life everlasting.