Two Worlds

Ah, Two Worlds, it sounds like a book title doesn't it? One day I shall write the story to it!

What I really came to write about here though is the fact that of late my mind is full of thoughts. They run around my brain like happy children, giggling with delight that I can't quite catch them and make them sit still. Nonetheless, two of these rascals I have managed to catch, or perhaps they caught me? Today I shall talk of one of them, this child's name is Two Worlds.

I stumbled across some thoughts by a respected musician recently regarding reality that made me scrunch my nose up and frown. His thoughts sounded a bit weird, and as much as I like a good fantasy story, his thoughts on reality and what it is, seemed to step out of the clearly defined realm of fantasy and into my kitchen.

What is reality? Well, this is reality isn't it. Sitting here, tapping away at this laptop whilst my husband plays his new Halo game. A freshly lit candle dancing as prettily as she dare on the cupboard and a cup of tea sitting on my bookshelf, that's reality isn't it. My surroundings right now are reality, what I can touch, see and hear.

And yet, the greatest reality is beyond all those senses, for now at least. For, I can neither see Him, touch Him or hear Him. Yes, he speaks through His Word and declares Himself Maker of all things unashamedly through His creation, and yet to mankind in general He is not reality, He is not real to them.

The life that comes after death, and the habitation therein, well it's not somewhere I can google, I can't find it on a map, there are no buses to Heaven, but that place is real. This creates some interesting thinking, it almost hurts my brain the same way imagining how far space goes if you just keep travelling does. For everything that is real to me now, tangible and touchable will one day turn to dust, be broken or be snuffed out like my dancing candle. Every single thing that my senses are aware of will vanish and be no more. The only piece of reality that I know of right now that will endure and last forever is my spirit, my soul and I can't see that, or touch it and for all intents and purposes, it is as invisible to my unbelieving friends and family as their Creator is. Yes, you can look at my face, but you can't see my spirit.

To return to the thoughts that got me thinking along this line in the first place, the author said this about one of his songs regarding reality, "The song is about what is real and not real. What is permanent and what is not. How we really have two worlds – the one we live in that will end someday and the kingdom of heaven that will never end. “Reality is only an illusion of solidity and permanence. The hidden eternal world, which we think of as illusory and unreal is in fact the only solid ground.”

I have been mulling over these thoughts for several weeks now and still find them quite fascinating. The song in question is a reminder to not trust what we see. And isn't that what a walk of faith is, not trusting what you see to be a dire situation, not trusting that the future looks dim, not trusting the thoughts that say you're a lousy Christian, but believing you are a new creation because of Him and Him alone, not what you do, and finally trusting the Unseen, Who knows all things and works all things together for good to those who believe in Him.

I love how this musician writes 'The hidden eternal world is the only solid ground'. I know it sounds quite bizarre, especially if you're not a Believer and sometimes even if you are! But, upon death, everything stays put, nothing leaves this earth, nothing will join me, not even the fingers on this body that I'm using to type with right now. Only the unseen, my soul, my spirit. Only what is unseen down here will last forever, only the unseen is of infinite value, and only the hidden eternal world is solid ground. The time for faith is now, don't trust what you see, for there really are Two Worlds.

(This post is actually taken from the 24th September, 2010. How interesting it is to read my thoughts from twelve months ago, the road, indeed, goes ever on and on. Oh how we change and grow, the journey truly never ends - let us go further up and further in)