He's Already There

I remember the first time I really listened to the words of the Casting Crowns song 'Already There' and they really took be aback. I had never really thought of God as already being in my future. It's made me think of eternity.

                               Already There by Casting Crown

                                  When I'm lost in the mystery
                                  To You my future is a memory
                                  Cause You're already there
                                  You're already there
                                  Standing at the end of my life
                                  Waiting on the other side
                                  And You're already there
                                  You're already there

I love the way God fits things together. I found while reading the chapter on 'The eternity of God' in A.W. Tozer's book The Knowledge of the Holy, not only a reminder of this song, but a better understanding of eternity, even if only in the slightest.

Tozer says:

"God dwells in eternity, but time dwells in God. He has already lived all our tomorrows as He has lived all our yesterdays."

And here:

"The mind looks backward in time till the dim past vanishes, then turns and looks into the future till thought and imagination collapse from exhaustion; and God is at both points, unaffected by either. Time marks the beginning of created existence, and because God never began to exist it can have no application to Him. 'Began' is a time-word, and can have no personal meaning for the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity."

And here:

"To be made for eternity and forced to dwell in time is for mankind a tragedy of huge proportions. all within us cries for life and permanence, and everything around us reminds us of mortality and change. Yet that God has made us of the stuff of eternity is both a glory and a prophecy, a glory yet to be realized and a prophecy yet to be fulfilled."

And here:

"The ancient image of God whispers within every man of everlasting hope; somewhere he will continue to exist. Still he cannot rejoice, for the light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world troubles his conscience, frightening him with proofs of guilt and evidences of coming death. So is he ground between the upper millstone of hope and the nether stone of fear."

And here:

"God's eternity and man's mortality join to persuade us that faith in Jesus Christ is not optional. For every man it must be Christ or eternal tragedy. Out of eternity our Lord came into time to rescue His human brethren whose moral folly had made them not only fools of the passing world but slaves of sin and death as well."
 
"And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever" 1 John 2:17

This can all be a bit overwhelming to think about, but Tozer says here of a safe haven for those who are in Christ:

"...since God is eternal, He can be and continue forever to be the one safe home for His time-driven children."

"Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations." 
                                                                        Psalm 90:1

Tozer says here of the gift of eternal life in Christ:

"...the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus is as limitless as God. The Christian man possesses God's own life and shares His infinitude with Him. In God there is life enough for all and time enough to enjoy it. Whatever is possessed of natural life runs through its cycle from birth to death and ceases to be, but the life of God returns upon itself and ceases never. And this is life eternal: to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent."

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." John 17:3

Our only hope of eternal life, opposed to eternal death, is in Jesus.

"Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel..." 2 Timothy 1:10

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 
                                                                                       1 Peter 1:3

"Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 1:13

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