Forever is a long time. Amen? Actually, forever transcends time as I tend to think about it. How do you describe forever? How do you get your head around forever? Call it eternity . . . . or call it perpetuity of time . . . or call it an unbroken age . . . call it whatever you want, but I’m guessing it would take forever to understand forever. And, I’m pretty sure I’m going to have the time . . .

I’m thinking about forever because of something I read in 1John this morning . . .

“And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (1John 2:17)

John exhorts his readers not to love the world or the things of the world (2:15). All that drives our worldly way of thinking and behaving . . . satisfying the wants of our bodies . . . pursuing that which is attractive to our eyes . . . feeding the insatiable appetite of our egos . . . all that stuff which makes our world go around . . . it’s not of the Father. But I am. I am His child . . . purchased with the precious blood of His Son. I have been adopted as His own . . . given a new nature . . . sealed with His Spirit . . . my name secure in His book of life . . . a place being prepared for me, even now, in His presence. The world isn’t of the Father, but I am.

And, says John, the world is passing away (2:17). The world is not forever . . . it will fade . . . it will one day be gone . . . temporary. Pursue it all you want . . . feed the desires of the flesh until you’re full . . . have the most toys . . . work 24/7 for accolades and recognition and a big name . . . but in the end, it ends. When all is said and done, it’s done. Gone. But I’m not wired that way . . . I’ve been reborn for eternity . . . I’m going to be around for awhile . . . a really long while . . . a while without end . . . and this world will not. Life in this place is just a warm up for the life in “that place” that awaits me. I’m going to be around forever.

Oh, what a mind-bending thought . . . to live forever. Oh, what a glorious thought! Way too easy for me to get so wrapped up in the “here and now” that I lose sight of the “there and then” . . . “then” being forever.

How John must have been stirred as He heard Jesus teach about forever . . . “but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life (John 4:14) . . . This is the bread which came down from heaven — not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever (John 6:58) . . . And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand (John 10:28-29) . . . ”

How John must have loved hearing about forever . . . and how those who do the will of God abide forever. Abide . . . the same word John use to describe life in the vine (John 15). A remaining in the source of life . . . a continuing in the presence of Him who is our all in all . . . to be continually at rest within the bosom of the One who loved us unto death. That rest . . . that remaining . . . that abiding being forever . . . time without end.

What will it be to abide forever? I don’t know exactly . . . but I sure do like taking a bit of time to think about it . . . though I’m guessing it will take forever to understand forever . . . yeah, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to have the time . . . Praise God!

“Only one life,’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.” — C.T. Studd