"Forever"

In a loud voice they were saying, "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: "To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!" ~ Revelation 5:12-13

In heaven, all the angels and the saints understand that our Savior is to be worshiped forever. The previous chapter in Revelation even specifies that day and night, they never stop worshiping Him. Can you imagine that? Some of you can't, or if you can, it's not a positive thought. For some, the thought of eternity brings about fear and angst. Yet, Jesus talked often about the kingdom of God, declared that it was not of this world, and explained to Nicodemus that the reason He came was so that people could have "everlasting life". It is safe to say that the entire premise of the gospel is that there is a realm far beyond what we can see and experience here, that it will exist forever, and that our only hope of being with God rather than eternally separated from Him is in the sacrifice and blood of Jesus. It is a reality we must accept, and then we must consider how it directs our lives now. This week at Friendship, we'll talk about the word "Forever" at the end of the Lord's Prayer, and discuss the things that consume our time and energy which do not last. Then, we'll talk about what does last, and how our priorities should be re-ordered. As we enter Holy Week and reflect on what God did for us through Jesus, let us see the "forever" picture and handle temporary things accordingly.