“We are now members of God’s own family …. And God has reserved for his children the priceless gift of eternal life; it is kept in heaven for you …. And God, in his mighty power, will make sure that you get there safely to receive it because you are trusting him.” (1 Peter 1:3b-5a TLB)
You were made to last forever. One day your heart will stop beating. That’ll be the end of your body but not the end of you.
God made you in his image, and you were made to last forever.
But here’s the bottom line: If you want to spend eternity with God in Heaven, you’ve got to build a relationship with him while you’re on Earth. Do that, and you can be sure you’ll spend forever with him.
If you’re like most of us, you’re probably wondering how you can possibly have certainty about your relationship with God. What if you blow it before your death?
It’s about grace. You can’t do anything to get yourself to Heaven. You can’t earn it. You’ll never deserve it. You certainly can’t guarantee it. Only God himself can make sure you get there.
The Bible says, “We are now members of God’s own family …. And God has reserved for his children the priceless gift of eternal life; it is kept in heaven for you …. And God, in his mighty power, will make sure that you get there safely to receive it because you are trusting him” (1 Peter 1:3b-5a TLB).
When my kids were young, we took a trip to the Grand Canyon. We were going to hike several thousand feet down a trail there. The kids were scared, so they put their hands in my hand. More importantly, though, I put my hand on theirs. I didn’t want them to fall. Halfway down, they may have gotten brave, squirmed, and tried to let go. But I wouldn’t let go of them.
And God won’t let go of you, either.
Talk It Over
- If you were “made to last forever,” what does that say about how important you are to God?
- Does realizing that you can’t do anything to earn or to lose your salvation give you more security or less?
- If you’re a believer, how does it make you feel to realize that God will never let go of you?
