08.12.06
Dealing With Peter For Eternity: Don’t Think About It Too Much
My days are numbered. My existence in this dimension, on this rock commonly known as earth, is short. Twelve years of childhood, eight years of teens, fifty or sixty years of adulthood. Of course, we are assuming I am lucky and don’t manage to get myself killed before then. Death rates involving big mouths and provacative snarkiness are on the rise, so yes, I will need to be lucky to make it to 80 years of age.
After that, I’m dead. So are you and your little dog too. If you are dead, nothing else that relates to you matters much. You’re dead, gone, lights out, sleeping with the fishes if you angered the moffia…you get the idea. How much you are worth, who you know, what you have done, it all has a value of a bottle of nose-hair.
Now, if that were the end of it, I would be one apathetic, pessimistic, live-for-the-moment-because-nothing-else-matters pain in the arse. Ok, so I may be a certified pain in the arse already, but that’s completely different…really. Here is the kicker: I am not planning on staying dead. How is that possible? I know this dude-you may have heard of him-named Jesus. He made me an offer, and it was one I certainly could not refuse. He promised me that, at the end of the age when all is said and done, He is going to raise me up from the grave. He made this offer to everyone. This is the very central core of Christianity. Christ beat the curse of Death, and offers all of us the freedom from Death. Through His sacrifice, we join Christ for eternity, immortal. He is the Way, the Truth, and the LIFE, after all.
If you think that eternity will consist of strumming harps or floating around as twinkling whips of light, you are wrong. Read C.S. Lewis’ Last Battle. That is a more accurate picture. We are promised new bodies that never decay. If I have an immortal body, there is no way I am going to use just one hand to stroke a harp for the next several millennia.
The realization of my impending immortality has had two profound effects on me. First, I realize that what I do in the here and now matters. It matters a lot. Unlike in the next life, I do not have an infinite amount of time at my disposal. Christ gives us salvation for free if we accept it, but He also gave some pretty specific instructions on what we are to do here. These 80 years are all the time I have to make an impact for what I believe, and to take a stand from who I serve. I am not saying we all need to run out and be missionaries, but we should definitly be putting the gifts we have been given to a greater use than self-gratification.
Secondly, I realize-and am comforted-by the fact that this world is not it. While this world is corrupt and full of evil, eternity with Christ, I’m thinking not so much. Life can suck, it’s a fact. Really bad things happen; often they happen to good people. But this is not the end. It is the prelude, the title page, the first sentance in the opening act of our lives. There are things in our future so glorious we cannot even begin to comprehend or imagine. There is a God who loves us, and by His Son’s work, we can experience just how great the Father delights in us. In this life, we may suffer, sacrifice, and hurt. In those times of pain, remember that this is not all there is. In the next life, all debts will be paid, all wrongs will be made right. That promise if for you and me.
This is real, folks. This is not some abstract idea or theological discussion. This is as solid as…uhh, as something that’s…really very solid (it’s getting late). Actually, I suspect our life after the grave will feel much more ‘real’ then this shadow existence on earth ever will. Even so, this is our only time here. Let’s make it count, for His glory.
Peter's not-so politically correct roommate said,
August 12, 2006 at 1:00 am
ok….so i thought long and hard about this…… ok ill be truthful, it wasnt loong (like 5 seconds) and i was singing to “jump on it” by sir mix-a-lot so i obviously didnt think too hard. anyways, i realised something tonight. ive already made that deal with christ and i realised that we dont even remmember our lives on earth. how do i know this??? im already in heaven, and i dont remmember my previous life at all. how tdo i know im in heaven??? well…. our lives with christ are supposed to be a way better existence than the ones we have on earth. and i realized, i must be in heaven…. i mean.. there cant be anything better than the life im livig right now. really, how do you improve on perfection?
hey, im not trying to be cocky or n e thing here people…..just the facts, just the facts.
n e ways me and JC have a big game of one on one to play..sooo i gotta jet….. but ill see the rest of you guys when you get to heaven…later
Kala said,
August 12, 2006 at 10:20 am
So true. It can be quite hard to remember at times how true it really is. I don’t even want to think of who I’d be and what I’d be doing if I didn’t have a personal relationship with Christ, and have the knowledge that there are better days ahead for me. Thank goodness.
Beth Anne said,
August 12, 2006 at 11:40 am
I would not exactly label my life “heaven” currently. The precise reasoning of this is that in the celestial realm we shall not have any sorrow or tears. My existance lies in direct contrast with that.
On the other hand, life with Jesus is far better than life without.
Bri said,
August 12, 2006 at 4:14 pm
Go Pete. I’m sensing a future “Fred”, if you know of whom I speak. Which I’m sure you do.
Yeah, life is no picnic, it is nowhere near heaven. All I know is that if I didn’t have Jesus, and the promise of eternal life, I don’t know how I would get through the sucky stuff encountered daily (And you will encounter it def. There seems to be no way around it). I’d probably be in jail for that murder I would have commited. Scratch that. I WOULD be in jail.
Heaven is gonna be sweet. And sweet in the “rad” sweet, like “Sweeeeeet!!!” . Not in the sugar sweet, like “Awww….. you’re so sweet.”
Bri said,
August 12, 2006 at 4:18 pm
Well, it might be that too, but you know what I mean. I’m seeing a massive karate dojo…. Lots of punching bags….. that one’s shaped like Peter…… And that is all my pathetically tired brain can counjor up right now. But yeah. Sweet.
Suit-Ben said,
August 15, 2006 at 4:20 pm
Well…I would agree mostly…I might have a slightly different idea of heaven than you though. My view is that since we’ll be in the presence of Jesus, we won’t actually want to do anything but worship Him. Anyway, that’s just my personal view. Looking forward to seeing ya again. A few more weeks, and we’ll all be back at T-dub!
Beth Anne said,
August 15, 2006 at 7:08 pm
I’d have to disagree with that. From what I understand of the Bible we shall be carrying on our work in heaven as on earth to serve God and each other.
peter's not-so-politically correct ex-roommate said,
August 15, 2006 at 8:42 pm
all i know is there is going to be unimited jello there. man is there gunna be lots of jello. J-E-L-L-O
Bri said,
August 16, 2006 at 1:17 am
There is going to be opportunity to sleep. Or no need of it, or something. Right now, that sounds about right. I think Heaven is going to be sure, we will always want to be praising God, But I plan on doing that while he and I play an intense game of one on one basketball. Or ping-pong.
Bri said,
August 16, 2006 at 1:18 am
Ahem, grammatical error. Correction… “….Going to be awesome, sure we….”
Jules said,
August 16, 2006 at 11:19 pm
Hey Peter,
I think you are incredibly right but to address your first comment, it isn’t only about a personal relationship with christ. Most people forget that there is the body of Christ His church, as imperfect as it is. The fellowhip of the body is so important to have in our culture of the self-absorbed.
Ben said,
August 17, 2006 at 4:01 pm
When you come down to it, I don’t suppose any of us really know what heaven is going to be like…only that Jesus will be there. And so…that’s where I want to be! Also…about the fellowship thing…for sure fellowship is good…a good verse on the subject is 1 John 1:7. Anyway…fellowship is good.
daniel said,
August 20, 2006 at 8:24 pm
like the article, pretty sweet.
Lena said,
August 27, 2006 at 12:16 am
That bbq was really fun. You should do that again sometime. And post another blog sometime because those are fun, too.
Bri said,
August 27, 2006 at 9:34 am
Yeah. I agree on both accounts…
Kala said,
August 27, 2006 at 5:24 pm
Yeah, a little awkward at times, but other than that…
Elliot Swan said,
August 28, 2006 at 12:33 pm
I pwned all.
Kala said,
August 28, 2006 at 2:58 pm
You’d sure like to think so, wouldn’t you?
Bri said,
August 28, 2006 at 10:01 pm
I personally liked the “It’s a state, the capitol is Illinois.” Ad of course, those sweet bug-zappers….
Kala said,
September 1, 2006 at 9:35 am
Farewell, Peter! Your presence shall be sorely missed. Keep the updates coming!
Bri said,
September 1, 2006 at 9:49 am
Yes indeed. I will miss our heartfelt banter, and the random sneak attacks, but not so much the pokes in the ribs. I would say e-mail me, but I know that is pretty pointless, so I guess just keep your blog updated, and that will be fine. For now.