Reflect
At the end of time, Paul tells us, Jesus will hand over everything to God, even Himself, so that “God may be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28). Think about that. All will be in God and God will be in all. What does that tell us about our after life? And even more importantly, what does it tell us about this life? Is it this: that to enter into the fullness of God is our fate, one fate for all of creation? That is our afterlife—guaranteed. But, when the fullness of God’s presence is felt—all in all—will that seem like Heaven to you? Or will that feel like Hell? Preparing ourselves, our appetites, our dispositions, our inmost desires, i.e. our souls to receive God “all in all” is the whole point of this life. The Law and the Prophets are guideposts, but the love of God must be your guide.
Pray
Lord Jesus,
fill my heart with a hunger for Your love.
Let my desire always be Your will, Your mercy, Your kingdom.
Keep me near You that I will know Your presence
when we meet, and find myself there, resting in the fullness
of Your Father’s love.
Act
To prepare ourselves for an eternity in the presence of God, we must learn to let go of anything that could get in the way, that might distract us from the glorious fullness of God’s Love. Ask yourself, what do you value most in life? What do you spend most of your time thinking about, regretting, or longing for? Is it pleasure? Comfort? Success? Or is it the Love of God? Read Matthew 25: 31-45. It is an instruction manual for how (and where) to encounter God, and a blueprint for how we might want to spend our eternity.
