Teachings – A Leaf from the Tree of Life

O, Christian, and I am speaking to you. How often do we think or remark how quickly time passed when we experienced a particular situation or event in our life. Of course, if we enjoyed the experience, then time passed too quickly. If we suffered in pain, then time passed much too slowly. In either case – whatever the experience – it is passed away and the only reminder we have of it is our memory. Now, imagine your memory of it as its contrail. For how long did the experience and contrail linger? That depended upon the emotional vitality/passion of the heart and emotions that fire and fuels the synaptic. Now, take the most memorable event in your life. Consider the length of days of that actual experience. Next consider the height, depth and weightiness of emotion that formed its contrail. How long did those memories trail the event? Some carry ill-will until they die. Yes, that is true even of Christians.

Let us now go and examine our experience and its contrail against the backdrop and frame of eternity. Now, behold! You stand on the back porch of life and gaze into eternity. I dare say that you would have immediately lost focus of that memory when you stepped out onto that porch – gasping in awe; overwhelmed by the presence of God’s infinity. Taking some meaningless time on the porch (might have been 100,000 years) to regain your composure, you return to look for that moment that you carried with you to the back porch to examine in the light and life of infinity. You can’t find the moment, let alone the 60-70 years of your life! The length, height, depth, and breadth of it is nowhere to be seen within that timeless ocean! Who would want to recapture it considering what you are witnessing?

Dear Christian, do you think you’ll care about what happened in this life when your life is over – no matter how pleasurable or painful? If you could spot your span of existence within eternity – having lost focus of the time you carried forward on your initial gasp – do you want to retrieve it? Do you desire to carry any momentary earthly joy, bitter sorrow, or anger with you into and throughout eternity? Did I hear a yes? Really? When the pleasures of Christ’s presence so greatly exceed all and everything that you could ever imagine? Pleasure aside, for even that came from our Father, why would you ever want to recall the hurt and pain, anger, and malice? Do you intend to carry that forward? Do you think carrying it on earth is what brought you to the overlook of New Jerusalem? No! God forbid! Christ bore your pain and suffering! If there is any day or any contrail to be seen in the Savior’s infinite sky it would be the day of redemption and the days of sanctification which followed! Those days should be remembered and celebrated eternally! Why search for anything mundane? No, no… I sincerely doubt you will want to recall anything of your time on earth – apart from Christ – as you gaze upon God’s presence in infinity, and the beauty and light reflected in His eternal glory and holiness.

Now, if you agree with that, then let me ask this: Why wait to stand on the back porch and continue to hold onto those earthbound moments and memories? No, no… if you are in Christ, those events and memories and its fuel should have been jettisoned long ago… the contrail ended… all left behind except lovely thoughts of Christ Jesus, for He was the One Who carried you forward. He remembered you!