Infinite, Eternal Kingdom

[WordSword]

“That I may know Him” (Phl 3:10). The more the child of God knows the Father and the Son, the more he longs to know. He comes to hiFather to find fresh delight, and to be filled anew with Joy. “That your joy may be full” (Jhn 16:24; 1Jo 1:4) is a word for eternity as well as for time. Here our capacity is limited, and too often our hearts are filled with other things to our sorrow; there our capacity will be according to the stature of the fullness of Christ, and nothing shall ever hinder our joy; still, however vast that which is known, the vastness of what is to be known, the vastness of what there is to know about our Father will ever remain exhaustless. Our state will be perfect, our enjoyment infinite.

Let us attempt, by an outlook into the measureless space around us, to aid the meditation of what the endless enjoyment of the believer will be. The works of the Father surpass all, but who shall compass Him (Romans 11:33)? A man’s mind awakens to the fact that this earth hangs amongst the myriads of heaven, in space so vast, that the nearest moon and planets, separated from it by millions of miles, are close to his touch, compared with the unutterable distance lying between this globe and the countless stars which the eye cannot even see.

His opened mind grasps the idea of greatness: immensity is before him. He feels the human thoughts of time are but as a drop on the ocean’s fullness, and the length of thousands of years of this world’s history but as a pin’s point in the presence of the circling journey of the suns and stars. His imagination travels from star to star, above, beneath and returns at length wearied with its flights; he wonders at the immeasurable, and feels that his most fertile conceptions of what eternity is, are as nothing compared with the fact of the space which lies above, beneath and on either side of this globe.

The overwhelming greatness of these works of the Father are such that eternity could not exhaust the joy of the creature who might be enabled to visit them and study their wonders. Yet even should this be possible, what would journeys from star to star and sun to sun be? Simply research into the Creator’s works. The child of God has a far nobler portion; he has for his eternal fellowship with the Father and the Son, communion with the Father in what He is as made known (an encouraging certainty now and forever for those reborn—NC). Those heights, those depths, those lengths and breadths of what He is, who shall declare them? An expanse or eternal occupation and joy opens out before the astonished soul.

It is not merely a seat in heaven, a place amongst the glories; not simply a song to sing which knows no ending, a harp to strike which shall never be unstrung. But having eternal life, and having thoughts, and feelings, and common objects with God the Father and God the Son by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

In its full enjoyment, the eternal life will be knowing the Father, “the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He sent into this world” (Jhn 17:3). The child of God will enter into the divine mind by the Spirit (1Co 2:11), he will think with purest joy, like thoughts with the Father, travel on form wonder to wonder, learn greater depths by every fresh marvel learned; never wearied, never sated, ever satisfied. What a portion awaits the possessor of the new life! The fullest of joy in the unclouded love of the Father is his prospect, dwelling in the blaze of the light and glory of what the Father is, possessing the eternal life in the Son.

—H F Witherby (1836-1907)

 

 

MJS devotional excerpt for June 8

“The written Word is meant to reveal the Living Word, not to hide Him. Many know prophecy better than the Prophet. Our Father gave us His written Word that we might know His Son, not only as Savior but as our very Life (Col 3:4). “Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy Word is truth” (John 17:17). —Miles J Stanford
http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/