How do we wrap our minds around the concept of what is eternal? The definition of eternal is clear as set forth in Websters, “a: having infinite duration: everlasting; b: of or relating to eternity; c: characterized by abiding fellowship with God.”  If we seek a more religious definition, the Holy Bible provides that “[w]e look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”  Do we live our lives with a focus on the unseen or are we more focused on what we can touch?  

The accumulation of things will not matter when we find ourselves at the beginning of the eternal. The things we could touch are gone and the only thing that matters is how we prepared for that moment. Did we lose sight of what is most important? Our time is short and where we are going none of the things we could once touch will matter.  Our world is becoming increasingly secularized, and the eternal is becoming less important. With all of the things we can touch distracting us from the eternal, it is understandable why we seem to lose sight of where we are going. It amazes me how many choose to ignore the reality of the eternal. The eternal is not relevant when I am in the middle of accumulating stuff.  

When we look around, how many now believe that the eternal does not exist? As someone who experiences the reality of the end of this life, I can assure you that the eternal is real, and the key is given to each of us if we choose to use it. The eternal is there for each of us and we decide if eternal life with God is something we want. God never abandons us, it is we who reject Him by focusing on the visible and ignoring the eternal.  

A wealthy man once told me after I had made a comment, that “nice guys finish last” and my only thought was “and the last shall be first”. Finishing last in a world focused on the visible is irrelevant if it gains you a ticket to the eternal. Jesus gave us the map; it is up to us to use it.  

God Bless. 

Andrej N. Lah

Director of Cemeteries