the basic message #E289
9/22/04
I think I may have had an epiphany tonight. Maybe it's not a big as I think it is, but it's big. I literally nag God every day to give me some sort of sign in regards to the route to Heaven. God's usually pretty quiet on the subject, largely because we've got some big-mouthed easy-believism preachers that tell their congregations: "just love Jesus and you'll go to Heaven". God gives us Holy Scripture that tells us that's only the beginning, but any story, if it's repeated enough times with enough emotion, will ultimately become fact in the minds of the weak. But I talk about that subject far too much already. Let's get back to the epiphany.
In my latest conversation with God, it really wasn't much of a conversation. I couldn't get a word in edgewise, and I'm thankful for that. God just gave me about 2 sentences that are profound, yet elegantly simple. They go something like this:
"Imagine for just a moment that whatever religion you claim or adhere to will have absolutely no eternity provided- no Heaven, no Hell. If you found out on your deathbed that your religion's only value was during your time on earth and it contributed nothing to an afterlife of any kind, would you still practice that religion if you could live your life all over again?"
In Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ", moviegoers were reminded with graphic scenes that Jesus Christ died for their individual sins. The emotions that viewers felt have been discussed and re-discussed for many months. Picture this scene: The same people are streaming out of the movie and God speaks to every one of them and says, "There is no eternity- no benefits for the good things you've done, no penalty for the bad things you've done." What would you think if God told you that? Most people's lives would change drastically if they knew without any doubt that there was nothing but the life we're living right now.
And so, I ask you today, if you knew there was nothing beyond this life, would you still adhere to the religion you claim? Would you still be a fervent Christian? A fervent Muslim? A fervent Jew? Isn't the best religion one that you live out without any promise of blessings beyond what you get each day in the life of that religion? Isn't the best love the kind that you are so happy to give that you don't really have to get any back? Isn't the best job the one that you enjoy so much that if it suddenly comes to an end you can only say, "Man, that was great while it lasted!" How many times have you heard former employees moan and groan after a job ends with the familiar lament, "How could they do that to me- I gave them the best years of my life." God has blessed me with some great jobs that may not have lasted 20 years, but I had fun and I gave the company their money's worth and yet still walked away thankful and happy for the experience.
If you could interview me on my deathbed in my final minutes on this earth, I would tell you that even if there is no Heaven or Hell, I would have gladly followed Jesus Christ up until the end. Think about that for just a minute- I would follow Jesus Christ until the end even if he can't give me eternal life. I happen to think that he can and will grant me eternal life, but once again, let's forget about that for a moment. Can you say without any question that you'd follow your religion even if there was no eternal "payoff"? If you have to think about that, you might need to put some effort into figuring out just what it is you want out of your God.
Please don't misunderstand- I'd love to live beyond this miserable life in a place where there is no pain or suffering. But I can say without any doubt that the way of Jesus is payment in full. What Jesus taught during his time on this earth is beneficial to his students. Every word spoken by Jesus makes living on this earth richer and more rewarding. Like what? Jesus tells us to seek peace with our enemies. How often has that teaching ever hurt you? Jesus tells us to refrain from worshipping material things. Do your own research- are there more rich people that are truly happy than there are poor people that are truly happy? Jesus tells us to pick our spouses carefully since he frowns on divorce. Talk to people that have been happily married for 30, 40, 50 years and then go talk to folks who have been divorced and remarried multiple times. Jesus was right on this one in a major way. Jesus tells us to share, and even though many of us do this grudgingly, we still know sharing is the right thing to do. Jesus tells us to keep our bodies pure from illicit sex. Although some folks will argue that Jesus might not be on track with this one, consider the pain, guilt and disease that results from casual sex in this world, not to mention pregnancies that occur- bringing an innocent baby into a hostile world that will likely be rife with abuse and neglect. Yes, Jesus is right on that one too.
You can search all you want, but the fact of the matter is simple: Jesus really knows best when it comes to our actions on this earth. To realize that he is so totally correct about how we should live our lives PLUS being able to offer us eternal life is the grand-slam. And so I ask you again, how does your god compare? (And if your god isn't God, he deserves the little "g".)