Eternal Life

The theme that struck me with the last two readings is the idea of eternal life. So many times we hear how we are to gain eternal life; follow the ten commandments, leave all of your earthly treasures and follow Jesus, believe in the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul...etc. We read these themes time and again throughout scripture and as good christians we try to lead Godly lives and follow the commandments.

But what about the person who does not? What about those people who sin for years and then repent? We are told that they will also gain eternal life, even if on their death bed they repent and believe in Jesus.

I think this is the most difficult idea for me personnally to absorb. Why should someone who cheated, lied or even murdered inherit eternal life just because they decided to believe at the last minute? If they truly believed would they not have tried to live a better life?

Forgiveness is not one of my better qualities. I'm not saying that I don't forgive people but there have been times in my life that I have found this to be a very challenging task. Years ago my family struggled with another family in our neighborhood over many different issues concerning our children. To this day I still have not completely forgiven or forgotten our difficulties. This fact bothers me often and I wish I could get past it.

So when I read chapters 17 & 18 I was reminded again of forgiveness and how we are to gain eternal life. At our Sunday School teachers meeting we discussed Lent and having the teachers and students 'give something up' or 'take something on'. As I am writing this I have made my decision about what I will taking on during Lent; Forgiveness. I am going to ask for God's help in learning to forgive and forget. After all it is God who has the final say and he knows the true hearts of people.