The earth will one day be no more along with everything in it. There will be a new creation, a new Jerusalem, a new heaven and new earth. All that we see, natural and manmade, will crumble. Yet two things remain forever: God and our souls. (For the semantic-als out there, yes our bodies will be resurrected however in only a shadow of their current form, glorified rather than flesh.)
The eternality of God both his infinite past and infinite future are difficult to comprehend. Equally is our own infinite future. In that future we will experience God in his fullness wrapped in glory, exuding holiness and burning with love. That is the future for any follower of Jesus who have put their trust in Him and been forgiven of all their sin.
Sometimes it’s difficult to grasp this glory, holiness and love. How do we experience it? How do we feel it? How can I sense it? How can I grab it? How does it hold me, push me, pull me? How can I tell my souls thirsts for something other than what I can see? How do I know I was made for eternity?
There are places on this earth, situations that arise where the things of this world, the crumbling things, meet God’s eternal presence. Here there is peace; a calm beyond anything in this world. Minutes feel like days. Joy gushes from your heart. Purity flows through you. The weight of the world is gone. This place, this place how I wish I could stay there forever.
I was climbing a large slope through the jungle mud splattered on my legs. My head was down goading my will and the will of others up the hill. The whole time we had seen the waterfall getting closer and now we were near the end. I turned the corner and saw the fall spilling 200 feet down into a pool. But it wasn’t there yet. A couple of my team members were standing on rocks taking pictures admiring the beauty of the landscape. We looked out across the rice fields through which we had just trekked. But it wasn’t there either. We gathered for a group shot when Steve slipped and fell fully clothed into the pool. We laughed. But it wasn’t in our laughter. A few of us decided that we were going in. Donning our shorts we jumped into the natural pool no larger than 20 feet by 20 feet. Water cascading down the mountain, fiercely falling on my head I ducked under and swam to the middle. It was when I came up. It was there.
I met God’s eternality in a pool, treading water in the desolate spiritual landscape of Burma. The minutes passed like days, joy filled my heart, I was pure and burdens were gone. I was engulfed in a creation that will pass away but in that moment my soul was satisfied. It was a glimpse of my infinite future. It was my thin place.
Where was yours? – Please share your story below
yup that place was thin!! especially after the pilgrimage to get there.
hmm…where’s my thin place?
I’ve been camping out a lot in the book of Isaiah and I’m currently in chapters 26 – 30 and focusing so much on the end times. What a constant reminder to live with an eternal focus.
Good points Joe. My constant reminder is those quiet moments when God just touches me through His nature and exudes His love. An exact place… can I say each sunset I take time to watch?
Great Blog. Been there myself, in my own way.. Great reminder that more of these kind of moments are imminent, and then ultimately they will all run together in the new life that God has waiting for us!