I’m pondering the word eternal this morning. I must confess, this word actually bores me a bit, perhaps because I equate it with heaven, with endlessness there. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe heaven is an incredible place, that I will love when I get there. But in my limited human brain the idea of doing something forever, however wonderful, just sounds boring.

Now, we’ve had conversations about such things, so I know I’m not the only one thinking such things. Meanwhile, I love this world God made. I love knowing God in this world and being a witness to His creation.

Broken as this world has become, I cannot escape the drive to stay here and point the way to the Guy With the Glue, and the supreme Healer of hearts. I’m of the crowd that says, “I know heaven is my home, but I’m not in a hurry to get there.” Up to now, the concept of eternal had little impact on my heart. But that just changed.

It began with my 67-year-old self pondering things that have passed in my life, that are no more. People I love have gone from this life. People I once admired have changed. I have changed. My body won’t do what it used to do, and as Paul so annoyingly warned us, it is wasting away day by day. Pets I loved have died, and our beloved Labradoodle is showing his age at twelve. We dread the day when the light goes from his happy eyes.

Some folks who walked alongside us on this journey years ago are now faded names in an address book. People who promised to love me forever, turned away when that love faded. I too, have left people behind when I could not continue offering my heart to them.

My community was dramatically changed late in the summer of 2017 by a direct hit from a force of nature called Hurricane Harvey, and some things I loved went away. Earthly things, not worth grieving over in a big way, but things that gave me joy nonetheless, which I miss. To have such a dramatic event change the landscape of your life in a moment drives home the temporal nature of life. The non-eternalness of it all.

Nothing stays the same in the land of humanity. I am daily reminded of former passions grown dusty when new passions replace them. My sewing machine doesn’t hum happily anymore, and the chop block where I once kneaded dough for fresh bread now hosts a short stack of low-carb cookbooks. Old joys have given way to newer ones. The time I once spent sewing is now given to writing books. I miss the pleasure of kneading homemade bread, the smell of it baking and its incredible flavor. I miss the anticipation of crafting something lovely out of fabric to give as a gift or to adorn our home.

When someone or something adds joy to life, we want to keep them or it forever…. like, eternally.

I went to bed last night grieving a relationship suddenly lost, hungry for the sleep that would silence the inevitable questions of the self-appointed judge and jury looking for answers to whys and what ifs. So when I woke as usual to the steadfast joy of knowing God, of being loved by Him, and the security I feel in His unchanging nature — His unfailing goodness to me — I realize this is one thing I shall possess eternally! I will never have to grieve the loss of His love and this relationship.

God will never go away. His faithfulness and love for me will never wane. He calls this relationship eternal, offering it with His promise that it will never end. It will only grow and become richer as I keep showing up for our fellowship.

I doubt the word eternal shall ever bore me again. As He often does, the Holy Spirit has highlighted this word for me now, for this season of Scripture reading. Rather than read past it with a yawn, I will notice all the ways God uses it, so I may receive the full message of His heart on this matter.

What we have together with Him, shall never go away, never fade, never be something I have to grieve over having lost. Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of this eternal relationship to you, the Father and the Spirit! As you said:

This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:2-3 (NASB)

Thank you for this joy that will never fade or be taken away from me, whether on earth or in heaven. I know God now, in ways I never deserved and could never earn, and not a bit of this relationship will ever be taken away. When I leave this earth suit behind, I will go on to new joys and continue what began in faith on the earth.

In fact, I suspect eternal is what Apostle Paul had in mind when he wrote:

 “But just as it is written, things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NASB)

What unfading joys have you been given through Jesus Christ? Please don’t forget to express your gratitude to Him for the gifts and graces bestowed on you out of the goodness of His heart, which shall never fade while you cling madly to Him.