Heaven: When Faith Becomes SightSýnishorn

Made for Eternity

Living a long, satisfying life is a desirable and good thing. And if you are in your twenties, thirties, forties—well, just about any decade—you are fired up to live on this earth with all your people as long as you can. And you should feel that way. Life is good, and we should seek to live it as well and as long as possible. Yet, we weren’t made simply for longevity; we were made for eternity.

Now, before we dig into that last phrase, let’s be clear. We are not eternal. We did not exist before we were born here. Only God is eternal, with no beginning and no end (Ps. 90:2). You and me? We had a beginning; yet we will live eternally.

Most people, regardless of culture or religion, sense we are made for eternity; they believe there is more than just this life. Why? Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God has placed eternity into our hearts. The most common interpretation of this verse is that God has placed an eternal longing, or a sense of eternity, in our souls. Yet here we are, made for eternity but bound by time.

According to Ecclesiastes 3:1, time exists, and there is a time for everything. Life is full of opposite experiences, isn’t it? And there is a time for each one.

Yet, compared to eternity, our current life here is like a mist that appears and is gone, whether it lasts seventeen years or seventy years. But thankfully, our risen life in Heaven is not a vapor. It is vast and long and unending. We were not made to be just vapor people. We had finite beginnings, but we were created as eternal souls with eternity in our hearts and eternity in our futures.

For now, consider this: the more comfortable we get with eternity, the less concerned we’ll be about longevity. If that’s the case, then our lives will not be lived in vain but will be filled with quality days that prepare us for that glorious day when our faith becomes sight.

Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 and spend some time reflecting on all the seasons of your life and the faithfulness of God through each one. Ask Him to help you steward and experience your longevity in light of eternity, helping you to see beyond these days to that forever day when your faith becomes sight.