If we aren't happy being Christ's now, we can't be happy for eternity

Rev. {22:14} Blessed [are] they that do his
commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life,
and may enter in through the gates into the city.


We talk of being born with rights and yet are we? Seriously. You might shout yes we are, but how many have been born with no rights, right here, right now. You think we don't have slavery but we do in my ways. There are societies and plenty of them that have ranking systems. It'd almost be safe to say all societies have them. You have your elite those that are given better service than others and believe- truly believe that they deserve special treatment. Then we have the lower class who are told they deserve less and for the most part they believe it because they serve the elite in many ways, they stand in awe of the elite and as they stand in awe they contribute to the grand illusion that they are less in some ways than those they worship, those they set on the pedestals. Sure, in America at least- we have our icons- our movie stars, singers, famous politicians and yes they might have talents but do talents take what makes a human being and set them above other human beings integrily? Do they?


Do we have rights? Yes, and each of us individual have the right to choose to follow God or not.


This verse says, blessed are they that do his commandments.... (Why?) That they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city. (The Holy City Heavenly Jeruslem, the tree of life gives us eternal life.)


We have this amazing right but it's conditioned upon following God's will, because His commandments are His will.


We all want the right to eternal life and it can be ours.


I read a passage from Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis and it struck me so that I want to include it here-


'If individuals live only seventy years, then a state, or a nation, or a civilisation, which may last for a thousand years, is more important than an individual. But if Christianity is true, then the individual is not only more important but incomparably more important, for he is everlasting and the life of a state or civilisation, compared with his, is only a moment.' C.S. Lewis Mere Christianity


How amazing a thought is that? And true. We live our lives now as if they do have an ending, how many of us live our lives as if they are going to be lived forever. You might argue that our eternal life will be MUCH different than this life but think about it. WE the part that makes us who we are will live forever. If we are promised life eternal and are stripped of all we are what good is that? None. If we are unrecognizable to ourselves there is little point, right? So we need to remember that it is best to follow God's will because eternal life in Christ is the only way. If we aren't happy being Christ's now, we can't be happy for eternity in Christ later.


It's a lot to think about, a lot to contemplate and we need to do that thinking right now, not later, later may be too late.


By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, may we be His with all our hearts and minds now and forever...


Amen.