Reflecting on the race...

(2Timothy 4:7) “I have finished the course.”

As I settled down last night, prior to switching the lights off, thoughts of the reality of Christianity kicked in. My thoughts went to the life hereafter as I asked myself, would I rather continue to live out my life here on earth or move on to the next realm of my existence? Is Christianity a fairytale that we like to believe in as we are caught up with the hope it affords us, when we think on death do we fight with every fiber in our bodies to live? Do we cling to this life here on earth, with all mite and strength? Are our lives filled with death so that we may live or is our claim “we are Christian” surreal?

So much of our lives are filled with fantasy, the stories that parents teach their children from a young age feeds this imaginary hope, fairy-tales and happy ending is where so many hang their hat. We love the thought of having a cake and also eating it. Self-preservation the order of the day! Am I any different? And yet if we embraced the hope of Christianity with all we have, we would be gladly laid down our lives for others. We would long for the life here after and I know we say we do, as part of us undoubtedly does, but I am concerned that it is no different to the fairytale hope we had as children.

Why does the writer of Hebrews tell us of so many valiant pilgrims that lost their lives as he stresses the point that the “world was not worthy” of them; “Women received their dead by a resurrection: and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: and others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword: they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves, and the holes of the earth.” (Hebrews 11:35-38) – The world was not worthy! Can I make that claim about my life? Absolutely not! Can you? The retort is left up to the individual! Would I without a blink of an eye leave behind that which I have and give it to someone in need; I would fight with every fibre in my body to hang on to what I have. This was not the attitude of those mentioned in this text.

There is a test we can apply to see our hearts in the matter; if God said to us, today is the day you will breathe our last, the day of death had final arrived, would we be excited or would there be regret? Would we seek out justification not to have our lives ended, would we be quick to make comments like, what about my family or could we with an honest heart say yes Lord take me now I long to open my eyes on the other side, I long to bow before your throne as I sing praises to my God and Father.

Obviously there would be a pull to arrive in heaven as it is God’s work and not ours, but are we captivated by it? This was Paul experience; “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith:” (2Timothy 4:7) – Or is your experience my experience; so much time has been lost to frivolous trivia that I fear and I cannot with any assurance echo the words of Paul. Does that now mean I am without hope? Definitely not! Thankfully it is the work of the Lord Jesus that will get us home. Selfishness and our own agendas in not the call to a Christian’s life, please forgive me Father God for the lack of faith that I have so often apply to my life with all the bad choice I have made along the way.

Having said that, I long to open my eyes on the other side, I hunger to be with my God; where neither rusting nor moth can any longer taint the call upon my life. I am wearied and hard-pressed as my life is filled with failure, but there is a day coming when this will end, I will nevertheless suffer loss; for this I seek forgiveness but the thought of the New Jerusalem and the reality to always be in the presence of the only true holy God without the failures of the flesh and the absence of sin in my life is a wonderful thought. Where corruption will be swallowed up by incorruption where this body of mortality will put on immortality and all the heavenly hosts in one accord sing praises to our King.

So if today was my last as a citizen here on earth, I must conclude, it would be well with my soul. Ever so come quickly Lord Jesus!

What on earth would enable someone to live in a ditch and suffer such torturing, but this glorious hope the Christian has for the life to come. May this hope grip us like never before and with the time we have left here on earth may we learn to lay down our lives for our God and King.

Signing off

Tyrone