It is incomprehensible to me that I will have memories that will be millions of years old, that the Lord has plans for me that span far beyond billions of years, that I will never die.
I am one of those individuals that does not necessarily need to be busy all the time, I do not require a project to begin and complete to add fulfillment to my life, yet as all of us are, we need a purpose for our lives. Now, it is all well and good for the born-again believer to say that they will rejoice forevermore in the Lord’s presence, that they will see fulfillment in praising His name without the hindrance of the old sinful nature that resides within us, but we all need a goal. We were all made in this respect to produce, to work towards an end. “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” (Gen. 2:15)
God knows this of course, He created us, there is nothing He does not know. The question for you today is quite simple, yet has eternity behind it, what are you going to be doing for all of time?
One of the most foolish questions an adult can ask a young man or woman who is ready to strike out on their own is, “What do you want to do with your life?” To place this question before someone in their late teens that has only the experience of youth behind them is ridiculous, they have no knowledge of what a half century or more of life means. Without guidance from a very young age, without the application of Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” there is a very good chance they will simply wander through this life, even if they choose to follow a singular path of education, of their career.
This is of course only conjecture, but I doubt very much the Almighty is going to hand you a harp, send you over to the corner and say, “Play for eternity without stopping.” We grow by doing, and while there are some that at least seem satisfied in their employment field, they do not perform those tasks continuously, and, even if you do enjoy the work that you are employed in, would you honestly want to continue in it for say ten million years, or for all eternity? “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18)
We will grow in heaven, I do not think that we will ever stop learning about the wonders of God’s creation, or of Him personally. The tasks that He will have for you during the Millennial period can last no longer than those thousand years, for the Lord will, “And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” (Rev. 6:14) The Almighty has given us very few clues as to the purpose of our existence past that point, the point where we will, as it is, walk into eternity.
We know from Psalm 16:11 that there will be pleasures forevermore, but speaking personally, I believe we all need a goal, a task that has been set before us that we are expected to accomplish, and always for His glory. The proof of this is here today for us to see. “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27) “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)
We have tasks that have been set before us, and they are not grievous or a burden to us, we do them because we love Him. I believe one task will never completely be accomplished for us, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Heb. 11:6) We will never stop attempting to understand God, and we will never completely know Him, and that is a good thing.
What else will you be doing in heaven? I do not know, no one does, but I do not believe it will be the same thing throughout eternity, we were built to grow, to learn, to experience all that the Most High has forever, and that also is a wonderful blessing. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2) We have a wonderful, never-ending adventure awaiting us.
