Focusing....

I was listening to a song on the radio the other evening, “There’s a light at the end of this tunnel” (Tunnel, by Third Day) were a few of the words. This song was emphasizing the idea that life is really hard sometimes but we shouldn’t give up, there is a light at the end. It made me think of sermons I’ve heard before and what I’ve heard people say countless times. They tell us that we, as Christian, need to keep going, keep running the race and not give up because God and heaven, if we are saved, is the “light at the end of our tunnel”. Somehow we have to bear this world and all the hardships and troubles because heaven is our ultimate goal and prize. Now please don’t get me wrong, but this entire way of thinking irritates me too no end! Did God create us and put us on earth so we could suffer our way through, and barely make it, just so we could spend eternity with Him? No! We were created for God’s pleasure, and he created the world for our pleasure as well. We are to enjoy God and His creation, here as well as later in heaven. Since when is life a trial we must face and go through? God gave us life to enjoy! We, as Christians, are heirs of Abraham and under the promise, the promise Christ fulfilled on the Cross. We have eternal life but we still, and should, enjoy our lives as Christians and God’s greatest creation on this earth he created for us. His pleasure is found in our enjoyment and communion with Him, not in seeing us suffer and agonize through life. Life is not a tunnel; if we can’t enjoy the life God has put us in now, how are we to enjoy it in eternity?
On a side note, God’s word tells us that death has no sting for us, as Christians, and somehow people took this to mean we should be looking forward to our release from this world; and we should in some ways. However, I do not look forward to dieing and leaving this world. At times I have even felt somewhat guilty, when people talk about these being “end times” I am not happy about the idea, I still have a life to live. I want to have a family, I want to serve God, I want to live a long life and see my children’s children walk in faith. I know there will come a time when I will be old, I will be happy but worn out, I will be ready for a “new body” then. I’ll be ready for an endless life of health and youth with my savoir. Honestly though, that “endless” part of my life with my Lord started the day I asked to be added to Christ’s family, this life is not some journey to reach a goal of heaven, the new life has already begun for us, it’s not something we have to wait or work for. Christ already paid our admission, we entered his family forever when we choose to accept, believe and follow. …..Sorry, just some random thoughts….. But always remember, "His hands are holding you"