Jan 05

May the FOR’s Be With You!

TedE

Isaiah’s dog, TedE

 

 

I haven’t yet seen the latest Star Wars movie. The debut of “The Force Awakens” occurred exactly one year after the wake of our nineteen year-old son, Elijah. Ironically, I was nineteen when the first Star Wars movie debuted.  More ironic, I suppose, is the movie’s name. Ever wonder why we hold a ‘wake’ the day before a funeral service?

Many years ago, people stayed up all night before a burial in case their loved one awakened. That probably seems strange to us today. With our advanced medical knowledge we don’t so easily confuse death and sleep. And we certainly expect that after falling asleep we will eventually awaken. Otherwise we wouldn’t need alarm clocks.

Sleep is one of life’s markers separating the past from the future. It’s like having a ‘reset button’ where we can forget what happened before. Our memories from the day are put on hold as we fade into dreamland. After we awaken we typically feel rested and refreshed. The past is behind us. The future looks brighter. We are better prepared to face the excitement of what lies ahead.

Though sleep may be important to us physically, it serves as a reminder of life’s essential principle: Our goals lie in the future, and we cannot relive the past. We don’t need to fall asleep in order to embrace the principle of separating the past from the future.

‘The Force’ from the Star Wars movies didn’t awaken because it needed a nap. It had become neglected and forgotten. For many of us there is also something very important that has become neglected and forgotten: the daily pursuit of heavenly perfection. The Apostle Paul reminds us how to apply life’s essential principle to that all important daily pursuit.

“I focus on this one thing: FORgetting the past and looking FORward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize FOR which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Phil 3:13-14)

I purposely emphasized the three uses of the word ‘FOR’. They provide the keys to the application of this life principal to the goal of pursuing perfection. Don’t live in the past. FORget about it! Look FORward to the future. And never give up on your pursuit of heaven FOR which God is calling you.

As Elijah often emphasized before he died: Live life with a purpose. And In the true spirit of Star Wars, may the FOR‘s be with you!

 

Please ‘like’ and ‘share’ this post as you find it helpful and inspiring. Thank you.

-Ken Buchanan

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Nov 30

How Is That Even Possible?

Baby Titus Eli

Thanksgiving Day is when most Americans give thanks for their abundant blessings. The day after is called ‘Black Friday’, when ironically most Americans add to their abundance during the busiest shopping day of the year. For our family, Black Friday took on a new, horrible meaning last year. Around 10:30pm, our son Elijah fled barefoot into the frigid woods behind our home. He would never return. He died of hypothermia less than a mile from our house. He was nineteen.

How is it even possible that we’ve made it through an entire year without him? Through God’s mercy and strength, and with the help of family and friends, we survived the year.

But something amazing happened on Black Friday this year that has us asking again, “How is that even possible?”

The month before he died, Elijah told me that God had revealed something monumental to him. God told him that he would reach millions for the Lord. At the time, I never questioned how that could be possible. When Elijah was a little boy, I too had a vision from God that Elijah would someday reach millions for Him.

After Elijah died on Black Friday, I began to question: “How is it possible that both Elijah and I had heard incorrectly from God?” Reaching a million people is difficult enough. But Elijah is no longer here with us. Not only does it seem too difficult, it seems impossible!

I’m reminded of what happened when Mary was told she would give birth to Jesus. The angel said to Mary: “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:32). She wondered how that could be possible. The angel replied, “For nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).

When Jesus died on the cross, Mary had to be thinking that she’d gotten the message wrong. She had been told that his kingdom would never end. How would Jesus change the world when his death seemed to make that impossible? But God’s plans are not always easy for us to understand, and history speaks for itself. Just for the record, God wasn’t finished with Elijah and His promise to him. Elijah’s Facebook page and this blog site have already reached well over a million people in sixty-six countries with the message of God’s love and mercy.

And He just did something that might have you asking, “How is any of this possible?”  Exactly one year later, at 10:18pm on Black Friday, our daughter Brittany and husband Eddie Kirsch welcomed into the world their first child and our first grandson. Titus Eli was born within a few minutes of the time that we lost Elijah.

“Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” (Genesis 18:14)

God had a plan. One year later He turned the worst day of our lives into one of the best days of our lives. Tears of sorrow are now mixed with tears of abundant joy. And as usual, His plans are intended to draw our attention heavenward. His Divine Fingerprints are everywhere.

When it comes to drawing us all back into a saving relationship with the Lord, we are told: “Everything is possible with God.” (Mark 10:27). Indeed!

 

Please ‘like’ and ‘share’ this post as you find it helpful and inspiring. Thank you.

-Ken Buchanan

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Oct 29

What’s In A Name?

Elijah baseball

 

It’s the end of October, and the baseball season has reached its climax. The World Series for Major League Baseball is one of the more significant events in sports. Well, at least in North America. Which makes me wonder why they named it the WORLD series. Seems a bit overstated, since only two countries participate!

Putting a big name on something can make it seem more significant than it really is. I use a Galaxy phone, but I’m pretty sure that the Earth is the only planet in the galaxy that has such a smart phone. I’m also pretty sure that humans are the only creatures on earth that name things. After all, didn’t God expect that of us? When God made the animals, “He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name” (Gen 2:19).

It’s a great responsibility to name something. A new pet will bear it’s name for a long time, so we like to pick something that we can enjoy. When naming our pet dogs, I try to imagine how it sounds when searching the neighborhood calling its name at the top of my lungs.

How much greater a responsibility it is to name your children. Should you pick something popular? Something unique? Something that reflects your family’s heritage? Johnny Cash had a popular song called “A Boy Named Sue.” The son hated having a girl’s name, and his father finally admits that it was intended to make him tough in the absence of his father’s care.

Sometimes a child is given a name that raises expectations for their life. When we named our fourth child ‘Elijah’, we wanted a strong, biblical name. Like an oversized pair of shoes, it took time for him to grow into his name. For most of Elijah’s life, he hated his name. In the last months of his life, he wrote about how he had come to love his name. He felt the power of God’s hand on his life, and he began to notice many similarities to the great Prophet Elijah.

So, what’s in a name? Can we influence the direction of a person’s life by the name we give them? Maybe. Does the name itself have inherent power? Probably not. With one significant exception…

What if there really was a name that was larger than life? What if putting that name on someone would guarantee to bring blessing? What if that name offered protection and power? We would treat that name with great respect, and put the name on as many things as we could.

Here is one of the most amazing scriptures in the entire Bible:

The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
“The Lord bless you
and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”
So they will PUT MY NAME on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:23-27) (emphasis mine)

It’s really that simple. Putting the Lord’s name on someone ensures that God Himself will bless them.

Fast forward from Moses to Jesus. Jesus prayed for his disciples before going to the cross, and he asked that the Father protect them. Not by the power of God’s might. Not by the power that created the universe. Jesus prayed:

“Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name” (John 17:11)

 

Please ‘like’ and ‘share’ this post as you find it helpful and inspiring. Thank you.

-Ken Buchanan

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Oct 21

What Goes Around…

Puff and puppies

Elijah’s dog Puff has puppies one year later

 

“What goes around, comes around.” I’ve repeated that phrase countless times. Maybe you have, too. I understand the basic meaning, but there’s something more significant to it. It reminds me of a boomerang. And it reminds me of the recurring seasons of life. I am going to call it the Law of Cycles.

Think about your day yesterday. You awoke, you did a variety of things (some of which you do every single day), and then you went back to sleep. Today you will cycle through much of the same routine. As life marches forward, it only seems to move on a straight line through what becomes the history of our lives.

Each hour cycles through 60 minutes, and 24 of those hours will complete the daily cycle. Weeks fold into months, and months fold into seasons. As I write this, I am experiencing the beauty and splendor of a Minnesota Autumn. It seems such a short time ago when I was enjoying last year’s Fall weather and football season with Elijah.

How quickly this year has passed. But we can’t just walk in a straight line away from our painful memories. The year has cycled through all the same recurring events that evoke memories and reminders of our dear son. Each major life event requires that we survive the cycle of memories. Christmas, New Years, Easter and Mother’s and Father’s Days. His birthday last month was especially difficult, and next month we face the first anniversary of his death.

Life seems more like a spiral of significant events, recurring in succession as we move towards a new way of measuring time in Heaven. For now, we live in cycles. Joyful moments are swallowed up by painful events which are eventually overwhelmed by unforeseen blessings. Last night we survived the chaos and excitement of new puppies, born to Elijah’s dog Puff. Next month his sister, Brittany, will give birth to a son due to be born on the very day that we lost Elijah.

“Whatever is has already been,
and what will be has been before;
and God will call the past to account” (Eccl 3:15)

We can’t avoid the future, and we can’t outrun the past. The past will always find ways to reach out and touch our present moments. And the future will always require us to walk through events that evoke all those crazy memories. Time marches on, but it’s path seems to take the shape of a Slinky.

One thing I’ve learned for sure: Just as Winter always turns to Spring, so our tears will turn to laughter. As Jesus said, “You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy” (John 16:20).

It’s the Law of Cycles. No single season lasts forever. That’s how God designed it. Never lose hope.

 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace. (Eccl 3:1-8)

 

Please ‘like’ and ‘share’ this post as you find it helpful and inspiring. Thank you.

-Ken Buchanan

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Sep 12

New Beginnings

Elijah Driving 2

“Happy birthday, Elijah.” Nineteen times we celebrated those words. Today would have been the twentieth. For nineteen years we laughed and joked, opening gifts and blowing out candles. Today we choke back tears and reflect on the impact Elijah had on our lives.

Birthdays are usually pretty exciting events, especially for children. As parents, we love to see our children smile, and we love to show them how special they are. Who doesn’t want to be the center of attention for the day? At least for one day out of the year we can be celebrated for who we are rather than what we’ve accomplished.

A birthday celebrates the importance of life. We all started out as small, fragile babies. No baby will ever remember their first day, but as parents we especially cherish that day. Melanie and I have enjoyed five of those special days, and they all have some things in common.

On the one hand, we felt relief. We were no longer just ‘expectant’ parents. We were transformed into full-time parents, who’s lives were forever changed.

On the other hand, we realized that every moment from that day forward was an open possibility. Only the Lord knows what marvelous things will come from this little person’s life. Such a small baby, but their future work could have great and lasting impact on the world.

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin” (Zechariah 4:10).

I have come to realize that birthdays for adults are not actually intended to celebrate the past. They are reminders of how many wonderful possibilities lie ahead of us. Yesterday is done. Tomorrow is unwritten. Every single day is a new celebration. We may not celebrate each day as a birthday, but that’s sort of what each day is. The birth of a new day is the chance to move from a mundane life to a purpose-driven life.

I distinctly remember a conversation I had with Elijah on the last birthday he will ever celebrate with us here. We talked about how special it was to have a birthday on the very day that our nation celebrates life after 9/11. Elijah was born on 9/12. Before 9/11, many Americans will admit to living their lives as though tomorrow was guaranteed. On 9/12, we learned not to take our future for granted. While 9/11 is a date that will be recorded in infamy, 9/12 represents new beginnings. It represents a chance to live life on purpose.

Elijah’s birthday was special for so many reasons. We don’t have him with us to enjoy his laughter and smiles. But we will always celebrate 9/12 as the date on the calendar when we recognize the importance of making a difference in the world. Elijah chose to live life on purpose to the glory of God. And the example of his life continues to have a beautiful impact on so many thousands of lives all over the world.

We may be separated for a short while, but God’s love will put a permanent end to separation.

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow–not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.” (Romans 8:38)

 

Please ‘like’ and ‘share’ this post as you find it helpful and inspiring. Thank you.

-Ken Buchanan

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Jul 17

Just One 911 Call Away

911 Call in Whirlwind

The following post is a collaboration with our featured guest writer, Benjamin Pearson. As a recent graduate of Bethel University, Benjamin brings a fresh perspective on what it’s like to seek the Lord while facing overwhelming trouble and sorrow. 

Are there any creatures on earth that make future plans, besides humans? I wonder if migratory birds spend their days planning for the long flights they take when the seasons change. I’ve watched squirrels prepare for winter by burying acorns, but they just seem a little too random as they go about it.

I like to have things planned out. The more organized my schedule, the more confident and productive I am. I like to have everything lined up before I move forward. When this summer started, I had my week, month, six month, and one year plans organized. Planning seems to bring me peace and security. It’s my way of managing the future. Like they say, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

But the Bible warns us in James 4:13-14, “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.“

I guess the reality of that word hit home this summer. Without warning, my wonderful plans were completely destroyed. Instead of going home after work I found myself in the emergency room with my mother. She was having seizures from an aggressive brain tumor. Now she’s facing a very intricate surgery with so many uncertainties and complications.

I’m feeling nervous and worried. My mother’s crisis sent me into chaos, and I feel as though a rug has been pulled out from under my feet. Where did my peace go? My well thought-out plans are gone, like they never existed.

I believe I can identify with those around me who have feelings of fear, doubt, uncertainty, and pain. We’re somehow all in this thing together, sharing a common bond as we search for some level of stability and certainty. And oddly enough, I’m most overwhelmed when I’m looking to myself for those things. When I find myself in a whirlwind, the last thing I should do is be my own anchor. There must be someplace I can go to find shelter and peace from the storm.

So how do I overcome the overwhelming? Where do I find rescue in the midst of trouble? Quite simply, I give up.

No, I literally give up. It’s not in my own strength, and I give up trying to rescue myself. I am learning instead to use the ultimate 911 call for help. Not the actual 911 phone call, but the Psalm 91:1 message of assurance:  “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.“

Like it says in that same psalm, my deliverance is just one 911 call away:

Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

He will call on me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.

(Psalm 91:14-15)

-Benjamin Pearson

 

Please ‘like’ and ‘share’ this post as you find it helpful and inspiring. Thank you.

 

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Jun 28

Enough!

Elijah's Graveside View with blue sky

Enough. It’s such a simple word. We use the word all the time and hardly think about it’s significance. For the most part, we use the word ‘enough’ to describe some sort of target or limit. When compared to the limit we have in mind, we say that we have more than enough, or perhaps not quite enough.

Sometimes the limits we measure relate to pain or weariness. When I’ve exercised to the point of exhaustion, I say that I’ve had enough. As kids we would often wrestle until someone reached their pain limit and cried, “Uncle!” It’s just another way of saying “That’s enough! I can’t take anymore.”

As humans we prefer to know our limits. It’s easier to endure if we know ahead of time how much we can take. But what about when limits are unknown? We just have to keep pressing forward and hope we survive. So it is with pain and grief.

A couple weeks ago I attended the funeral of our dear cousin Sheryl. Six months ago we buried our nineteen year old son Elijah. Most recently we said our final goodbyes to Melanie’s dad, affectionately known as Grandpa Dave. I think we’re past our limits of sadness and tears.

At some point God says, “Enough!” He is our Deliverer, and He delights in rescuing us. From Psalm 50:15, God says “call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall honor and glorify Me.“

If that’s not amazing enough, God does something even better than just declare an end to the trouble. He turns the bad into good. He produces a garden where there was wilderness. He brings water to the wasteland.

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:19)

So how can God restore the losses we’ve endured.  How can he turn our sorrow into a blessing when we have so many horrible milestones yet to endure. I cannot even talk about facing the one year anniversary of Elijah’s death without tearing up. It will be the most difficult day of the year for our family, and I am already “crying uncle”!

But never underestimate the goodness of our God! When He declares, “Enough!”, He doesn’t just stop our suffering. He replaces it with joy. The following announcement was shared today on Facebook from our daughter Brittany and her husband Eddie Kirsch.

As many of you already know, our brother Elijah went missing the day after Thanksgiving last year. After 2 weeks, we found that he had passed away. This last holiday season was especially difficult for my family and me. But throughout all of the sadness and heartache, God was always there and his graciousness and love remained constant. God has continually found ways to show us that He is with us, even during tragedy.

And God continues to amaze …EXACTLY one year from the day we lost my brother, Eddie and I will be expecting our first baby, a boy. God has turned our grieving into celebration and the death of my brother into new life. His love and compassion are never ending and His timing is always perfect.

Who else but God himself can take our most painful day and turn it into one of our most celebrated days?

Brittany and Eddie

Brittany and Eddie Kirsch

 

Please ‘like’ and ‘share’ this post as you find it helpful and inspiring. Thank you.

-Ken Buchanan

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Jun 21

A Father’s Toughest Question

 

Family pyramid

I’m writing this on Father’s Day. Anyone who has lost a child will know how difficult are holidays like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. The focus on being a father is obviously a focus on the blessing of children.

Those of us fortunate enough to become fathers understand the privilege of delighting in our kids. But we also know the importance of being a provider, a protector, a mentor and counselor for our children. Our legacy is to help to make our children’s world better than our own. And ultimately we want to leave an inheritance that will bless our children and their growing families with a lasting heritage.

Our Father in Heaven also wants to leave each of us with a lasting heritage. It turns out that of all the things we might think to inherit from the Lord, it’s our children that are the actual inheritance. Ironically, our inheritance from God is precisely the thing that drives us to work towards leaving our own inheritance.

“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.” (Psalm 127:3-5)

Some father’s are especially blessed to be surrounded by a ‘full quiver’ of loving children. In a day and age when families are having fewer children, our family was bucking the trend. Which leads me to talk about one of the toughest questions I get asked. It only became a tough question after we lost our beloved son, Elijah.

“How many children do you have?”

How do I answer that question now? I am told that the answer will always be the same. I have five children. But it’s the present tense of the question that throws me. Four of them are still with me. We will often leave an empty chair when we gather in public or private, simply to acknowledge that Elijah is still a part of our family. He always will be. He just isn’t with us right now.

I don’t get to spend time with Elijah like I used to. Eventually I will. I like to think that Elijah simply moved to a different state. He’s in a state of beauty and splendor and eternal delight. Of all the states I might choose to move to from Minnesota, that’s the one I can’t wait to call my home. That’s where I want to build my house.

But there’s a catch. “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” (Psalm 127:1). That’s the key to answering that tough question about how many kids I have. The Lord gave us five children. He is the one building the house. He is the one who filled the quiver and gave us the inheritance. His handiwork is amazing, and His inheritance is everlasting. And joy will no longer be mixed with sorrow.

Dad and the boys (2)

 

Please ‘like’ and ‘share’ this post as you find it helpful and inspiring. Thank you.

-Ken Buchanan

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Jun 17

Where Have All the Flowers Gone?

Isaiah graveside

An old song by Peter, Paul and Mary asks the question, “Where have all the flowers gone?” All the flowers are picked by young girls, who in turn are picked by young men, who ultimately end up in their graves. The graves all give themselves over to flowers, and the cycle begins anew.

While we can’t break the cycle, most of us hope to delay the inevitable. No one really wants to die young. We prefer to live a long, experience-rich life. And the contrast between those two extremes was on display this past weekend at the funeral of Melanie’s father. He passed away at age 96, and was buried right next to our son Elijah, who died at age 19 this past Fall.

Our family visited Elijah’s grave for the first time since his funeral. It was one of the most difficult milestones I have personally faced during these months of grieving his loss. I don’t know what I could have done to add years to his young life, but I would have done almost anything to extend the cycle of life for him. Then I thought of what Jesus said about trying to extend our lives:

“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?” (Luke 12:25-26).

That’s a perspective adjustment. We strive so hard to manage the events of our lives. We work all day so that we can have money. We need money so that we can have a place to live and a car to drive. We use the house to rest a few hours so that we can use our car to drive to work. We drive to work so that we can work all day, and we work all day so that we can have money. And so our cycle of futility continues.

On Saturday afternoon my thoughts of futility were replaced with thoughts of carefree delight. Our extended family had gathered for a bonfire following the funeral for Melanie’s dad. As our kids posed with their cousins to take pictures, I was asked to watch their young children for a little while. What I wanted was a distraction from the emotional events of the day. What I learned from those kids went far beyond distraction. It brought a peace to my soul. I watched the young boys pick flowers for my granddaughter Ellie, and they were determined to pick every flower they could find. Ellie was running around with her large bouquet of flowers, giggling and laughing. And then they laid down in the clover together to just relax and enjoy the moment. I quickly took the following picture.

Kids picking flowers

The words of Jesus echoed to me: “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you” (vs 27-28).

Flowers and graves will always be intertwined. We will never break that cycle. But we can find peace along the way, when we slow down and enjoy our simple moments. And we will break the cycle of futility when we slow down enough to seek the actual Peace Giver. In the end, that’s all that really matters anyway.

Please ‘like’ and ‘share’ this post as you find it helpful and inspiring. Thank you.

-Ken Buchanan

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Jun 06

It’s About Time

Grandpa and Ellie

Grandpa Dave welcoming great granddaughter Ellie

We usually hear the phrase, “It’s about time!” when we show up late for some event. But the phrase takes on a whole new significance when we think about our limited time here on earth.

One of the questions I am most frequently asked these days is, “What happens when we die?” I’m hardly an expert on the subject, though ironically I am writing this post from a Holiday Inn Express. I guess that makes me an expert, according to the commercials. Our family has had to deal with death quite a lot lately. Six months ago we lost our nineteen year old son, Elijah. Within the past two weeks we lost Melanie’s dad, and less than a week ago we lost her cousin, Cheryl Wright. Tomorrow I will attend the funeral for Cheryl, the daughter of well known author and grief counselor, H. Norman Wright.

My thoughts frequently focus on questions about death and dying, and I have grown keenly aware of the passage of time. Like the old Steve Miller Band song, it seems that time keeps on slipping into the future. Each of us must obey the same rules of the clock and the calendar. None of us can move time forwards or backwards. None of us knows exactly how much time we have left.

Can we assume that time keeps the same pace for us after we die? Does God Himself abide by the same rules of the clock and the calendar? Psalm 90:4 says that God has a different perspective of time. “For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours.” In fact, the Bible often describes God as outside of our normal understanding of time. Eternity itself is a concept that we struggle to wrap our finite minds around.

Modern physicists have also struggled to understand the concept of time. Albert Einstein is well known for the theory of relativity based on the formula, E=mc2. Without diving into the science, it’s worth noting that the theory helps us better understand time. As an object approaches the speed of light, it experiences a slowing of time. If an object were able to actually travel at the speed of light, it would find that time itself is suspended. Time would literally stand still.

Here is where I ask a crazy question. If time comes to a stop as you reach the speed of light, does it also mean that for a completely stationary object time runs infinitely fast?

Of course, none of us will ever know what it’s like to move at the speed of light. The physics work against us. But neither will any of us, while alive, know what it’s like to completely stop moving. Death itself is understood as the body giving up all movement. Is death therefore the point at which time runs infinitely fast? Is death the passage from our earthly experience of time to a heavenly experience of eternity? When we die, it seems likely that we no longer live by the old rules of the clock and the calendar. We would probably share God’s perspective of time.

I think we get a taste of that while we sleep. Time is only meaningful to us while awake.

But who among us really knows what exactly will happen when we die. During our waking hours, we experience time as a proving ground. We will certainly all die, but where we spend eternity is dependent on our earthly choices.

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16)

Please ‘like’ and ‘share’ this post as you find it helpful and inspiring. Thank you.

-Ken Buchanan

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