Free Course: Encounter the Faith & Wisdom of C.S. Lewis!

Greg Laurie daily devotion - Aug. 29, 2011

 

Monday, August 29, 2011

Echoing in Eternity

“Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life.” —Mark 10:29–30

In the film, Gladiator, Maximus Decimus Meridius, leading his troops into battle, declared, “What we do in life echoes in eternity.”

That is a true statement. What we do in life echoes in eternity. We act as though everything that can be done must be done during our life on earth, and we must do all that we can with our time, abilities, and resources. There is a great element of truth to that, because we certainly don’t want to waste our lives. And when life is cut short or hindered by a disability or an illness, when a child dies—or a young man or a young woman, we think, What a tragedy! What a loss!

Then there are people who have lived wicked lives, who have done nothing with what God has given them and have opposed God in every way—even doing damage with their lives. We think, Wow! They live on, while this other person who had so much promise and potential is gone! Why do we think that way? Because we think all that will happen will happen in this life, and then it is over.

But that is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches that life goes on, and God will not waste or squander any life or gifts. We remember that death, for the believer, is not the end of life but a continuation of it in another place. And God has other places and times in which that life can perhaps reach its full potential.

Whatever sacrifices you have made will be made up to you. God will not be your debtor. I am completely confident that in that final day, you will recognize that it was worth it all.

Summary sentence: What we do in life echoes in eternity.

Tags: sacrifice, eternity

Copyright © 2011 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com.

Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.

SPECIAL OFFER

“To God Be the Glory”

Lost Boy: The Next Chapter has not only won awards at film festivals around the world, but—more importantly—has won hearts and lives for Christ. To share this story with an even wider audience, it is being released as an audio edition, including the documentary film, as a special ministry package. Lost Boy: The Next Chapter – Audio Edition and DVD is our gift to listeners for their donation of any amount.

You may have read Lost Boy, the book, when it first came out, but I think you will be blessed in an even deeper way by the rest of the story.”

                                                                                                            —Greg

SHARE

Christianity / Devotionals / Greg Laurie Daily Devotions / Greg Laurie daily devotion - Aug. 29, 2011