Looking back from Eternity

 

I wonder what it's like to look back from eternity. What does God see?

What does the water see in the stream after it has passed by me? Water that flows on and on and on forever. Water with life in it passing by. I can sample and live on a few drops of water as it continues to pass by me to another place and another time.

What is God's Law in reverse? All the "You shall" and the "You shall not."

What do God's children see as they rest in waiting for Jesus return and the resurrection? What is it like to look back from heaven?

What does the song of the people of heaven sound like? 

How are God's children gathered together when death comes and my loved one is no longer with me on this earth?

When I read Matthew 5:1-12, commonly referred to as the Beatitudes, all of these questions cause me to pause and ponder and pray and think and act out in love as one of Jesus' disciples.

It's like Jesus went up the mountain... reminding me of Moses going to God for the commandments. But this time Jesus sits down and reverses the commandments. Jesus talks about the Kingdom of God in a way that is different somehow, yet really, in time, all the same.

This time Jesus Law seems to reach deep within me. To my gut and the very center of my being. Jesus reaches into my soul and convicts me of the way I treat other people and shows me how to respond to his grace in the love of God and love of my neighbor. Jesus puts Law and Gospel all together in one setting.

On that mountain Jesus makes me sit in the darkness of my sin so that I can clearly see the Light of his saving grace. I need that darkness. When I'm in the darkness of my sin, Jesus Light is blinding, convicting and all that more gracious to me in my life, here and now.

When I think about looking back from eternity to now through the lens of Jesus grace and action upon the cross... I'm deeply inspired to act out in love. And this response isn't a response of paying back... rather it is a response of love, joy, happiness and  hunger to love God. Oh how I want to see Jesus and to feel his love!

You see, God's grace is somewhat like an inheritance. I can't do anything to receive God's grace. I can't earn an inheritance. Nor do I deserve the inheritance because of my status or family. God adopted me and brought me to him out of that same grace and love that only God can give.

As I sit at the feet of Jesus on that mountain and he teaches the Beatitudes to me, I hear of blessing. Blessings for people that live in a world of trouble... yet are blessed. Blessings that encourage me to love my neighbor in a different way. Blessings to me as I'm in my darkest times and blessings for those around me who suffer as well.  Blessings that pass through this earth ,this time, and move back and forth from eternity where God lives and loves his children.

I see the actions and ministry of Jesus on that mountain and it becomes clear that Jesus is the One who fulfilled all the Beatitudes of which he speaks. It's so different from the Law of God to Moses, where I think I am to obey all the commandments to see the grace of God. It's the reverse here. Jesus fulfilled all the Law of God to Moses, yet came to me and to you to grant us blessing as we live in the mud of our failure to do so on our own. I can't fulfill God's Law!

So here I am at the feet of Jesus on this mountain... poor, mourning, hungry, sinful, greedy, and making war. Yet Jesus sees through it all and tells me that he is here for me, to bless me, and love me, and take me to him eternally. Oh, how I love to see Jesus! How I long to eternally sing his praise and respond!

So what am I to do? As Jesus blessed me... I respond in the same love and example Jesus gave me. I bless my neighbor, with love, compassion, care and a reflection of the Light of Christ.

Why? Because my eyes have turned from my own sin and darkness to the eternal Light of Jesus righteousness and love for all his people and all creation. I no longer need to stare at myself and the mud of my sin because it's all changed. Jesus turned me from myself to look at his Light. 

Jesus permits me to look back from eternity and act out the love He has freely given.

Now I can see a little bit of what it's like to look back from eternity. I see love and righteousness only in Jesus.

Thanks be to God!