Infinite Joy In The Eternal God

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 ESV

As a kid I couldn’t imagine how heaven could be exciting.

I was told we would worship Jesus forever like the angels. And to me that sounded like a horribly boring life. I could not comprehend finding pleasure in worshiping God or praying to Him for an eternity.

For me, worship was just old music accompanied by a middle-aged woman pounding on a tambourine. And prayer merely concentrating on trying to concentrate on God—and always failing.

But there comes a time for all of us to grow up and come to terms with the message of eternity. For God “has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart…” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

Our chief end is to glorify God, and we should enjoy that. In fact, we have a mistaken view of our purpose if we don’t.

God spared nothing, even sending his Son to die in our place.

When David wrote for us to, “Delight yourself in the Lord” (Psalm 37:4a), he wasn’t writing to sound religious.

Religion cannot enjoy God, it can only fear him from a distance.

As a kid I saw God through the cold eyes of religion. I viewed prayer and worship as labors to earn favor, instead of gifts given to draw near to the Fountain of Life.

Our biggest obstacle to enjoying God and learning to delight in him is the merit-based system we often find ourselves in as modern Christians.

Our “love” for God, his Word, and his truth are usually little more than things we know we should be proclaiming. Our religion diminishes the gospel and Jesus by subtly conveying that his spilled blood and resurrection aren’t really enough.

Though this is taught nowhere in Scripture I lived much of my life in bondage to this heresy.

When we arrive in “paradise,” as Jesus called it (Luke 23:43), we will experience ever increasing joy. We will never say again, “It was fun while it lasted”, because our joy in the Creator will be without end.

Begin to look forward to eternity with God through Gospel eyes.