A Vanishing Hope

A Vanishing Hope

Eph.2:11 - Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

Ti.2:13 - Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

There still is hope for mankind and each and every person alive upon this earth. The hope of which I speak is an eternal hope filled with the glory of God and laden with life everlasting. People’s eyes are earth bound and blind to the things of the Spirit and they do not even see the need for such a hope. Immersed in earthly satisfactions and temporal pleasures they are losing their souls on the altar of this present world. But time is a strict task master and it pauses for no one. Tick, tick, tick, it counts out every droplet of time with relentless precision.

And billions of sinners are headed for a Christless eternity that cannot be described by human words.

Mk.8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Upon the last breath and the last heartbeat, every person enters the realm of the spirit and the eternal. And the only thing that passes over is their soul. And in that very moment they will realize the absolute significance of that realm, and they will then know the depth and profound importance of the divine offer of redemption. And for every single soul it will either be a time of great rejoicing and worship, or it will be a time of unfathomable trembling and regret.

This is no fairy tale. This is no abstract musing. This hope, purchased at Calvary, is beyond the reality that we now know. And the eternal existence that awaits every blood washed soul is far above human imagination. The expanse of eternity and the throne room of the Risen Christ will utterly bring us to our knees, as it were. With new bodies we will ultimately realize just what was paid, and perhaps we will realize how close we came to denying Him and with that we may be shaken without measure in His presence.

Time will be no more, and just to realize we are to live forever with Him cannot be imagined beforehand. Yes, life everlasting without sin will be far beyond what we deserve. The word joy and exuberance will be impotent descriptions on that day. But the ultimate experience will be to behold the Lamb of God, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, and the crucified and Risen Christ of God. That is our hope. That is our pursuit. That is our passion.

Just to think on these things should dim these earthly lights and carry us into an inward state of eternal thirst and hunger. Have the things of earth grown so bright and become so burdensome? Well, cast your hearts and minds upward and allow the Spirit to give you a glimpse of His eternal glory! Feed your spirit with that which cannot perish. Meditate upon the spectacle of Him in all His glory and majesty, and allow that prophetic glimpse to cleanse you of this world and all that is in it.

Yes, it seems like so much imagery swirling around in your head, but it is in all reality the coming future. But it is because we do not often meditate on such things that allows all the worldly clutter to accumulate in our minds and ultimately our hearts. Our hearts should be set like a flint toward that eternal day when we behold His glorious face. Is that not worth a thousand worlds? Is that not our reward? Is that not the pinnacle of human existence?

Surely that is our hope. But that hope will not abide forever, and to be sure it is rapidly coming to a close. Like the door to Noah’s ark, one day that hope will no longer be available to sinful man. And without that hope there is no hope at all. Tomorrow is not promised, and today is well spent. Where is our urgency? Where is passion in the prayer closet? Where are the legions of end time missionaries being sent to the far flung regions of the earth? Hope is fading for billions and yet the church is at play.

Eternity looms but the church fares sumptuously at the table of the temporal.

There is a coming day.

A day of doom, a day of hope. 

God helps us all.