looking to the end

Often times in life, when we are in a process of accomplishing something, we ask ourselves "What is the end goal". These past few months, I have been living with a former Marine, and he always needs to know what the end goal of everything is. For him, the task or project is not worth the effort put into it if he does not know the end goal.

I think this is a very important question to be asking ourselves. I ask my self it a lot. But I often forget to ask myself that question in the most important aspect of life; life itself. Americans are very good at not knowing why they do the things they do. I am an American and I am very much included in that statement.

I often do not think about the end goal of life throughout my day. It seems silly when I think about it. As followers of Christ we know our end goal: to preach the gospel and bring Christ's kingdom to Earth, so one day, when every tribe has heard the name of Jesus, He will return as our King bringing the perfection we so long for. Yet so often I just don't think about that in the midst of my day. That should always be on my mind. If I really want to follow Christ, that is the culmination of the life of a follower. That needs to be on my mind constantly. I need to realize that in the midst of my interactions with people, my commute to school, in the shower... everything, I need to be aware of that reality.

Jesus is coming back. Does my life show that I am aware of that and am preparing for it?

longing

I read The Journey of Desire this past month. Many of the words Eldredge penned really spoke true of something I have been sensing over the past year. As the pages of a calender continually change, I am struck with the awareness that what I truly long for in this life will never be fulfilled. Eldredge reminds us wherever humans look, we see traces of what was. Eden. Perfection. Perfect Relationship with God. He says

"What if nature is speaking to us? What if sunrise and sunset tell the tale every day, remembering Eden's glory, prophesying Eden's return?" P. 107

And that is what we long for. A perfect world where we can have perfect relationship with God. Complete restoration of what was. I have been sensing that truth more and more. That longing of my heart will never be filled on this side of eternity.

The other night was I was reading revelation before I went to bed. It was comforting, but disappointing at the same time. It is not here yet. No matter how much time I spend in prayer or in the Word, this sense of longing will still be there. And that is good. We need not be discouraged because we do not yet have who we desire. For our perpetual awareness of who we do not have in His fullness is our hope that one day we will indeed obtain Him.