THE CORD OF ETERNITY

# Living in the Light of Eternity: Understanding Your Divine Purpose

Time moves faster than we realize. Our primary school days feel like yesterday, yet decades have passed. Before we know it, we're writing our wills and preparing to leave this world. This sobering reality raises a critical question: Are we living with eternity in mind?

## You Are Divine, Not Ordinary

There's something extraordinary about human existence that we often overlook. Unlike any other creature on this planet, we possess the attributes of our Creator. We can reason, choose, and function in ways that reflect divine characteristics. We are not accidents of nature or products of random chance—we are masterpieces, created with intention and purpose.

The animals around us operate on instinct, without will or choice. But humanity? We have been given something remarkable: the capacity to know God, to choose our path, and to partner with heaven in advancing divine purposes on earth. This makes us unique in all of creation.

Every person, without exception, has been designed for greatness. Yet so many function below capacity. Why? Because we've disconnected from the Source who breathed life into us. We can only function maximally in His presence, yet we attempt to navigate life independently, wondering why we fall short of our potential.

## The Accountability We Cannot Escape

Here's an uncomfortable truth that our culture tries to help us forget: we will all give an account for our lives. Every action and inaction strikes a chord on the other side of eternity. Death is not the end—it's a transition to accountability.

Throughout history, no one has come to this life and avoided departure. Whether we acknowledge it or not, our time here is temporary, and what comes next is permanent. This reality should fundamentally shape how we live today.

Many people choose to ignore God's existence not because they truly doubt Him, but because acknowledging Him means accepting accountability. It's easier to live as though we won't answer for our choices than to face the weight of that responsibility.

Yet God's existence is undeniable. His works make Him manifest to everyone willing to see. His consciousness is planted within each of us. Even something as simple as sleep—that nightly reminder of our vulnerability—should humble us before the reality of a power greater than ourselves.

## Following the Treasure Trail

Matthew 6:20-21 provides a powerful diagnostic tool for spiritual health: "Store your treasures in heaven where moth and rust cannot destroy and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will be also."

This passage reveals an important truth: we can accurately determine where someone's heart is by following their treasures. Not by their words, their religious activities, or their public persona—but by tracking their resources: time, energy, and money.

When we examine how we deploy these three resources, the truth becomes clear. Our checkbooks, calendars, and energy expenditures tell the real story of what we value. They reveal our true priorities with precision.

Someone might pray fervently and fast regularly, but if they never feed the hungry or support the work of God's kingdom, their spirituality is questionable. Prayer and fasting are important, but they're not substitutes for sacrificial giving and genuine love. In fact, love—expressed through action—is the greatest commandment.

## The Danger of Self-Centered Living

In Luke 12:16-21, we encounter a sobering parable about a rich man whose land produced abundantly. His response reveals everything wrong with self-centered living. Count the number of times he uses "I" and "my" in just a few verses:

"What shall I do? I have no room where to bestow my fruits... This will I do: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have much goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry."

Six times in less than a minute of reading, this man centers everything on himself. His prosperity, his plans, his comfort. God is nowhere in the equation.

Then comes the devastating verdict: "You fool! This night your soul will be required of you, and then whose will those things be which you have provided?"

The conclusion? "So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

## What Does It Mean to Be Rich Toward God?

Being rich toward God means our biggest investments aren't in real estate, luxury cars, or personal comfort. It means that when breakthrough comes, the Kingdom of God feels it, not just our families, friends, and entertainment habits.

Tragically, some believers experience financial increase, and everyone around them benefits—except the church and the work of the gospel. Their families feel it, their social circles feel it, even nightclubs feel it. But the Kingdom of God? Nothing.

Meanwhile, it's often the widow's mite—the sacrificial giving of those with little—that advances the Kingdom. Those who give from their abundance rarely sacrifice anything. Those who give from their poverty demonstrate where their treasure truly lies.

Being rich toward God requires sacrificial giving several times a year. Not just regular tithes and offerings, but moments when we go beyond what's comfortable, when we genuinely sacrifice for Kingdom purposes.

## The Challenge of an Invisible God

The greatest challenge to faith is that God is invisible. This is by design—it's actually the highest demonstration of His wisdom. Though unseen, His works make Him manifest to anyone willing to see.

This invisibility tests our hearts. It reveals whether we'll serve God when we can't see Him, whether we'll honor Him when no one's watching, whether we'll prioritize His Kingdom when earthly attractions scream for our attention.

Darkness exploits God's invisibility, trying to convince us that what we can't see doesn't matter. This is why so many live as though they'll never give an account, as though this life is all there is.

## Living With Eternity in Mind

When we live in the light of eternity, everything changes. We gain clarity about what deserves our attention and what doesn't. We distinguish between what's important and what's merely urgent. Our decision-making mechanism aligns with heaven's priorities.

We know which relationships to invest in and which to release. We understand that forgiveness isn't optional—holding grudges means allowing someone to determine our eternal destiny. No offense is worth missing heaven.

Most importantly, we appreciate Jesus. We value the salvation of our souls. We recognize that we held a debt we could never pay, and Someone appeared—without our asking, without our deserving—and paid the ultimate price for our redemption.

## The Grace to Follow

The question isn't whether we understand these truths intellectually. The question is whether we'll receive the grace to live them out practically.

We need grace to be rich toward God. Grace to go out of our way to honor Him and bless humanity. Grace to deploy our resources for Kingdom advancement. Grace to keep our hands open toward heaven, never withholding what belongs to Him.

We need grace to make God our number one priority, to live in the light of eternity, and to ensure that when our time on earth ends, our lives will have been worthwhile.

The good news? That grace is available. Not because we've earned it, but because God delights in empowering those who genuinely seek Him.

## The Choice Before Us

Every day presents a choice: Will we live for the temporary or the eternal? Will we invest in what we can see or what lasts forever? Will we be rich in earthly goods but poor toward God, or will we store up treasures in heaven?

Our time here is short. The clock is ticking. But it's not too late to realign our priorities, to redirect our resources, and to live in a way that makes our lives count for eternity.

The question isn't whether we'll stand before the throne of judgment. We will. The question is what we'll have to show for our time on earth.

May we choose wisely. May we live in the light of eternity. And may our treasures—wherever they are—point clearly to where our hearts truly belong.