Every Fall, nature reminds me that grass, trees and
flowers last for a season. Some will return to life in the spring, but not all
and even those will eventually die. Life has limits. All of it is temporary,
except that which God has touched for eternity.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8)
Anything that emanates from God is eternal because He
is eternal. As creatures living in time, we try to put the concept of eternity
on a line, trying to imagine no beginning or end to that line. However, a
better way to describe eternity is that past, present and future are all now. That
is, God does not live on a line or continuum or even a circle, but in all of
it. For Him, everything is current.
Immediately my imagination is challenged. There are no
parallels for this. What happened yesterday is now; what happens tomorrow is
now? I cannot wrap my mind around it.
As eternity relates to this verse, the Word of God is
like that. What He said is always now. That means the commands are always
current; the promises He makes never become obsolete. This makes His Word my
anchor, my stability in a reckless and dying world.
Today’s devotional reading adds a new thought. It says
that the Word of God becomes keener, sharper, fresher the more it is used. While
it could never become stale, His Word could be compared to water in a stream. Water
that stops flowing gets stagnant. Only the water that rushes over rocks and falls,
that keeps moving, retains its freshness. This is true of God’s Word. The more
it is allowed to move in my heart, the more my heart is blessed.
This is because His words never run out, run dry, or become
obsolete. They are eternal. Break off a chunk and another is there. Feed on a
piece and more is ready for the next feeding. The more that I read and study
it, the more His Word blesses and restores my soul. It is indeed the Bread of
Life, the Water of Life. It is also my connection with the eternal God.
All this could be said of the Living Word as well. Jesus,
the very revelation of God in word and deed, will stand forever. He is eternal
for He is also the expression of God in human (rather than written) shape. When
my heart feasts on Him and is refreshed by Him, He is not diminished. Even more
awaits me, more grace, more understanding, more blessing, more light. I cannot
deplete Him because He is my life, my eternal life and my connection with the
Father, my eternal God.
These are lofty thoughts. God, You continually lift me
above my ordinary days and set my heart in heavenly places, in eternity. As I gaze
at the yellows and oranges outside, and watch the falling leaves, I am reminded
that this is not all there is. Life will wind down, but because of Your touch I
am being made ready for eternity.
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