I am entering into the final stages of life on this earth. But the sense has been coming on me for several years that I am entering right now, even in this present life, into eternal realms. You know, we have a picture of what it is to die. I mean, the common idea of dying and going to heaven is one of a sudden change. There we are, a person lying on his or her deathbed and at the moment of death that person’s spirit leaves the body phantom-like and floats up to heaven to be with God. One moment that person is here on earth, the next moment he or she is sitting on a cloud playing a harp. That is not a Biblical picture. I don’t mean the cloud and harp part but the idea of one moment here, the next in eternity.
According to the writings of the apostle Paul if we are in Christ here and now on this earth then we are already seated with Him in heaven at the right hand of God. Paul says:
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Col 3:1-4
We have been raised with Christ. Our spiritual essence is with Christ in the eternal realm. As we walk a spiritual path of intentional reaching toward that heavenly existence we live more and more within our spiritual essence. We draw ever nearer, ever more fully into the eternal realms the closer we get to our physical death. We hold less tightly to the things of this earth. Our physical death, then, is not so much a sudden flying up to our heavenly home as it is our final and complete letting go of our earthly existence.
We are not really ending life. We are continuing a journey. We know this because as we walk this path of spiritual surrender we become increasingly aware of the divine realm. Increasingly, it merges with our existence here on earth. We become ever more heavenly minded. I have heard that old accusation of being so heavenly minded that I am no earthly good. But Paul says that we are to set our minds on our eternal home. Far from being no earthly good, you see, as we increasingly seek our eternal essence the Divine Nature that we receive from above finds an ever wider place to manifest here on earth.
This is a journal, the journal of my journey into the eternal realms. I invite you to share in this journey, to share your reflections if you are on this spiritual path. If you are seeking this path I invite you to share your questions, your comments, your struggles, doubts, fears, joys, dark nights, divine comforts and consolations. For we are truly walking into eternity. I have walked an intentional contemplative path now for twelve years; walking ever deeper, ever higher into the eternal realms. I am on my way out of this life but on my in to a larger space where increasingly I live within His Divine Presence. As I decrease in the world Christ in me increases. His light shines brighter as I let go of the life that I have been clinging to in this life. As I let go of that self that I have built around my concerns here on earth the eternal within me finds greater place to manifest Himself on this earth.
The contemplative path is a path upwards and inwards. More and more I sense myself ever being lifted upwards, transcending, going toward my true destination. I know so many people in this stage of life that perceive only the end of this life. Perhaps after having a good career, gaining reputation, having made a comfortable living, and then sort of whiling the time away until they finally die. The usual conception, I think, is one of a hill or a bell curve. One ascends in a career, reaches a peak, and then descends into retirement.
I don’t see my life like that. I have not had a brilliant career, nor made lots of money, nor established a good reputation. In fact, I can feel with Paul that I count it all as dross. Actually I count it all as preparation for what God is right now doing with my life. I am at the prime of life! I have come now earnestly into my Divine Purpose. All my whole life to this point has been but preparation for where God is right now taking me. There is no downward trend into retirement. It is all upward, all progressing toward eternal life; not toward deterioration but toward the fullness of my created being. Consider this passage:
When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Col 3:4
This all sounds like the sweet by and by but it is just so evident to me from Scripture how the eternal bleeds over into this present life. We draw too definite a line between this temporal realm and the eternal. Christ who is our life is manifesting in us as we open ourselves to Him and increasingly give our lives over to Him. As we walk toward the eternal so does the Glory of Christ manifest within us spreading outwardly into the world around us. The more heavenly minded we become the greater is the Glory of God able to penetrate into this world and to touch all that are around us. How cool is that! This all happens as we venture into the eternal realms. We are not really trying to be Christ-like. It happens as we walk ever deeper into the wholeness of life.
