Eternally Engaged

"All that is not eternal is eternally useless." 

CS Lewis

I wonder how different my life would look if I truly believed those words.  To think that there are energies I am devoting myself to that matter nothing for eternity breaks my heart. I'm sure it breaks the heart of the Father even more.  How He must watch the activities I engage in on a daily basis that further my kingdom instead of His, with a sadness for all that I am missing.  

Because it's really me that's missing something--not Him.  His Kingdom is still going forth with just as much force and validity and power as ever, I'm just the one who has stepped out of the march to pursue worthless things.  And I'm the one missing the power that is ushering forth His Kingdom.

For the Kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.

(1 Corinthians 4:20)

Dead men are raised to life. Blind see. Deaf hear. The crippled walk.  Good news is preached to all.  Lives are changed. Orphans are introduced to the Father of the fatherless. Broken people are restored. 

And really?  All that power and I'd rather spend my time doing frivolous things?   Or worse--I'd rather think that I'm engaged in the beauty of the Kingdom by merely talking about it all the time?  

There's so much more to the Kingdom to that.  And I want to see it.  To hear it, to reach out and touch it.  

And there's so many areas where the Kingdom needs to be preached.  Places where the depth of darkness seems unbearable.  

Sex-trafficking. 

Underdeveloped countries without clean water. 

Orphans with no hope and no future. 

People who don't know from where their next meal will come. 

Those completely isolated from hearing the Good News of Jesus Christ. 

My neighbors who think this life is all there is.

All these opportunities, waiting for the power of the Kingdom to come and overwhelm them.  The keys to which I hold in my hand.  And so often I choose the lesser things.  Things that are eternally useless. 

But the most amazing thing to me is that He knew that I would do that.  He knew that when He chose to use imperfect people to bring forth His Kingdom here on earth, that we would often neglect the most important thing.  That we would chose things that don't matter over the only thing that really matters. And yet, He still chose us to be the means He would use.  

So...yes I am the one who is missing out when I choose the things of this world over things of eternal significance.  But, there's grace to cover those attitudes of apathy and a God who uses the weak and foolish of the world to display His strength and wisdom.  And that God has invited me to be part of the great Rescue Mission that He is carrying out. It's the greatest rescue ever carried out and victory is already secured. 

So, I am left with this choice--give away my life to gain it?  Or gain the whole world and forfeit my soul?