To Eternity and Beyond

The great quote out of the mouth of Buzz Lightyear in the Movie Toy Story is “… to infinity and beyond.” It is a quote expressing endless possibility, a quote sure to catch the fancy of every dreamer, of everyone wishing and hoping for a better tomorrow. In a way, to the ears of my spirituality, it connects with that yearning for eternity God planted deep in my heart. Surely the fire under your hopes and dreams is stoked when you entertain with Buzz Lightyear the thought of “… to infinity and beyond.”

Well, that is what Jesus Christ calls us to, invites us to enter, and makes possible for us. The maker of time, more huge than the whole cosmos, wants us to be a part of his eternal being, … and wants us to engage with him in fulfilling his eternal purpose, which is to establish his glory by bringing all creation into perfect harmony with him.

Could it be possible that I might participate in God’s great purpose … “to infinity and beyond,” or might I say “… to eternity and beyond?”

I’m a forward looking person. All my life the thought of living into the future has been a prominent one. The thought is constant, but the reality so often eludes me. Why?

The first realization I have come to about this is that I have to take the first step.

The second realization I have come to is that I almost always skip the first step, and the second step, and generally the third, fourth and fifth steps as well.

The third realization I have come to is that I am never really able to live into the future because of skipping the first several steps.

So, if the crowning achievement of our lives is to be one with Christ and engage with him in fulfilling his eternal purpose, what is the first step? And the answer is … fitness, personal fitness. We have to be personally equipped for the journey -- spiritually, physically, financially, academically.

Athletes don’t start with playbooks, they start with pushups. Astronauts don’t start with algorithms, they start with mental toughness. So too, those in the Lord’s service must start with fitness.

- Financial fitness (free to serve, whether like Mother Teresa or like Bill Gates)
- Physical fitness (strength and stamina to meet God’s every assignment),
- Academic fitness (truth sufficient to dispel all criticism, heresy, and doubt), and
- Spiritual fitness (in constant communication with Christ, the commander and source).

The first step in serving Christ is your personal fitness -- body, mind, soul, and spirit. Get fit. It is a Godly thing to do, and the first step to “… eternity and beyond.”