Jesus tells us to seek "food that endures to eternal life" and says extravagant things in John chapter 6 regarding eternity. How much of a reality is "eternal life"? When I think of eternity I think of awful classes, 40 minute previews in the movie theater, and pounding the gas pump key pad as it asks one eye rolling question after another about car washes, receipts, and zip codes in negative 8 degree temperatures with blustery winds. There is an abyss of inexperience and tangible feedback on eternity. My experience with eternity is negligible.
The reality of eternity might look something like this to God. He sees your birth, your life on earth, and then you die. That abrupt end in this world is one small point on the tapestry of eternity. You die and eventually the curtain is pulled back, your eyes are opened with wondrous fulfillment and a heavy weight. There is a freeing of baggage that held you back, the glorious hugs and tears of joy celebrating people you loved that struggled in their earthly lives, riveting time spent with people you never met, breathtaking stories of spiritual fervor you never knew about that were right on your doorstep, people you never knew impacted by your choices and decisions to serve God, imminent dangers you were protected from and never knew about, seeing deceased friends, no one is haunted by a past or experience of evil inflicted by others, your eyes close in awe and worship as you see the fullness of God's work through people that you took for granted or could hardly say hi to before, inviting and glorious pleasures of heaven, breathing in the unlimited and addicting fresh air of pure honesty and trust, celebrations that make the Superbowl looks miniscule 1,000 years from now, joyous and lavish laughter and praise of Jesus 10,000 years from now, and 100,000 years without one second of jealously, lust, anger, greed, or debilitating self-talk and evaluation....
Do you see it? The reality of eternity and a future that stands before us?
Death conjures up things like RIP and dates for "BORN - DIED" on a grave marker. The spiritual world may very well have jokes and funny sayings about "peace" and the date we put for "died". Could Christians put "BORN - ______ " and leave it blank or put infinity? 6,292 people have died in the world in the past hour. No doubt in perilous, tragic, and painful situations. And yet all Christians have the same amount of "time left", eternity. That's the reality that God sees and Jesus is calling us to see in John chapter 6:22-40.
Jesus wants us to see the reality of eternity and the implications it has on our lives right now. Because eternity and right now are intricately connected. May we seek Jesus that we would have "this bread", that we would have "eternal life", and that we would understand how God "gives life to the world".