The Dot and the Line

This past year was one of funerals for me—of goodbyes and I-can’t-believe-they’re-gone, catch your breath moments. Each funeral was a witness to a meaningful meeting between earth and heaven and a reminder of how the two are forever intertwined. My dear friend, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth puts it this way:

Think of “this present age” as a dot on a line that spans all across eternity—from eternity past to eternity future. How foolish is it to live for the dot when there is all this long line of eternity ahead of us?

Pondering eternity sheds a clearer light on goals, actions, thoughts, hours—even minutes. Like me, you may be thinking through how to best invest in this fresh year of grace in light of forever. I find myself wondering: What would my friends and family say about me if I were to die in 2023?

• Will a single-hearted devotion to God be evident?

• Does my closest community feel loved and listened to, cared for, and served well?

• Are there those outside of Christ today who will be loved into His kingdom because God helped me to “do good and to share what [I] have” (Heb. 13:16 ESV)?

While so much of this year still lies ahead, I’m examining my schedule and asking: Where do I need to change in order to live for Christ, His people, and His kingdom work in more eternally significant ways? Since I want this year to count, I’ve set specific, forever-focused goals. Mind if I share them with you?

In light of eternity, I want 2023 to be a year of going deeper with Christ.

I want to know Him better, love Him with greater joy and passion, and feel His nearness in my day-to-day life. I’m purposefully lengthening my daily times with Him—spending more time in His Word, lingering over passages that draw me in, and choosing verses to meditate on or memorize. I’m asking God to strengthen me as I commit to expand my time with Him to a minimum of one hour each day. I’ve found a good spot in my home to meet with Him. I’m setting a timer in another room, walking away from my computer and phone, lighting a candle, fixing a cup of tea, and sitting down with my Bible and notebook to drink deeply “from the river of [His] delights” (Psalm 36:8 ESV).

In light of eternity, I want to learn to number my days.

Moses knew firsthand how brief this life is. He was surrounded by funerals as he led the children of Israel through the wilderness. Scholars have estimated that an average of forty people died each day of the forty years they wandered in the wilderness. What was Moses’ prayer in the midst of all that sorrow? “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12 ESV).

My days are numbered—so are yours. By living in that reality, God will help us to obey this command:

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time. (Eph. 5:15–16 ESV)

Adapted from the Revive Our Hearts blog post “In Light of Eternity,” originally published January 21, 2014.