Blink

“Blink. That’s the first thing you’ll notice—simply no transition. No bridge from temporary to eternity. No gradual awakening. No strolling toward heaven through a long corridor of light…No spare moment to decide that, yes, it finally is time to consider what God said.” 
From A Life God Rewards by Wilkinson & Kopp

I’ve been thinking a lot about this quote from a little book I try to read each year.  Actually, I find myself mulling the concept over and over, grappling with its reality—firmly based on truths found in the Bible. For instance, Scripture not only talks about every human’s eventual shift into eternity but also about the brevity of life itself:

O Lord, what are human beings that You should notice them, mere mortals that You should think about them? For they are like a breath of air; their days are like a passing shadow. Psalm 144:3-4, New Living Translation 

How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. James 4:14, NLT 

In other words, our existence seems to pass in the blink of an eye—especially in comparison to the expanse of eternity.  But eternity is what God had in mind from the beginning of His creation.  Indeed, we were made in His image (Genesis 1:27), beings with a soul literally breathed into us by God Himself (Genesis 2:7).  While physical death was a reality (note God’s initial warning about this fact in Genesis 2:17), the Lord gave a glimpse of His redemptive plan to provide Jesus as the hope for eternal life (Genesis 3:15).

For me, the decision to accept the gift of salvation that God provides was made long ago.  One Sunday I heard the simple truth that God loved me so much, He sent His Son Jesus as a means of forgiving any wrongs that separated me from Him.  The only step I needed to take is the same for everyone, everywhere: “ …declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead…” (Romans 10:9, NLT).

What happened when I “declared and believed”? Blink, my sins were forgiven.  Blink, I became a member of God’s forever family.

Someday in the future, I’ll experience another Blink moment, the one Wilkinson and Kopp refer to in the quote above.  That’s when, as the psalmist explained, I will “awake in Heaven, I will be fully satisfied, for I will see You face-to-face”  (Psalm 17:15, The Living Bible).  The Apostle Paul confirmed this point when he wrote “we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord” (II Corinthians 5:8, NLT).

Do you have this same confidence?  Do you know for sure, whether you live many more years or slip into eternity today, you’ll be in Heaven, meeting the Lord face-to-face? If you’re uncertain, then why not ask Jesus to save you right now? Follow these steps from Romans 10:9:

1. Pray and let Jesus know you want Him to be Lord of your life.

2. While praying, tell God you believe that He not only sent His Son, but He also raised Him from the dead, proving He has the power over death itself.

It’s that simple.  Once you complete this “declare and believe” process, you become part of the Lord’s family.  But remember, God’s gift must be redeemed this side of eternity.  As Wilkinson and Kopp remind us, after we physically die there will be “no spare moment to decide that, yes, it finally is time to consider what God said.”

While I greatly anticipate the wonders that await me in Heaven, in the meantime I have work to accomplish. How do I know? The Bible is full of reminders about what all believers should be doing before that last Blink moment:

So, you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father.  And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life He promised us.

I John 2:24-25, NLT 

But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do His work and speak out for Him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference He made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.

II Peter 2:9-10, The Message Bible 

Scripture has many more guidelines to help us along life’s journey as we move ever forward to that final Blink. So, stay grounded in His Word.  Connect with other believers—your fellow heavenly family members.  And most of all, live each day with joyful anticipation of all the Lord has in store for you in your forever home.

Thought of the Spring