[317]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - TRANSITION IN TIME AND ETERNITY
This poem’s title means the lifespan we have from childhood, through the years until old age, then after that lies eternity. There is a physical life and a spiritual life. The physical life we know but hardly anyone knows the spiritual life until it is too late. Then the reality comes in hell.
People reject an afterlife, or accept it as something unknowable, but it is not unknowable. It is the fool that says in his heart there is no God. {{Psalm 10:4 The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him. All his thoughts are, “There is no God.”}}. Psalm 14:1. Psalm 53:1.
Some may live to be 100 and can recall all sorts of adventures and experiences but what use are those if hell is the destiny. There are only two destinies. Heaven and hell. The gate to heaven lies with faith. {{Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter by THE NARROW GATE for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction and many are those who enter by it, for the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life and few are those who find it.”}}
The narrow gate of entrance is a transformation through faith when a person hands over his/her life to the Lord in repentance and faith. Once having entered through that gate, the way leads to heaven and there is no lock on entry to heaven.
The rubbish about Peter holding keys of entry and he will allow or disbar, is from Catholic belief.
Transition is moving along from the foetus until death, then transitioning to eternity.
God is not wishing any to perish, so I plead with you to make sure your faith for eternal life is in the Lord, for no unclean thing will ever enter heaven. {{2 Corinthians 6:2 for He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” BEHOLD, NOW IS “THE DAY OF SALVATION”}}
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TRANSITION IN TIME AND ETERNITY
We passed from babyhood into childhood,
In simplicity, no way understood;
Then moved from childhood into adulthood
Development, partly understood.
From adulthood, and then to old age;
The transition that is most understood.
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Transitions are gradual in our physical being.
Imperceptibly defined, and not marked with our seeing.
Consciousness gives recognition to that reality.
As to our perception of us – impartiality.
For we pass from one to the other, ‘till death is the end,
But it’s not the end. There’s another existence to spend.
People live lives in the present, and the future they quell.
In life they’re neglected by most, but there’s heaven and hell.
“Poppycock,” say many, and an afterlife they dismiss.
Regrets after death will then be the remorse of remiss.
If you don’t know forgiveness of sins, and the light ahead,
Repentance and faith will deliver you from that great dread.
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Physical growth in our bodies is a slow transition,
But it is not so for the spiritual condition.
When we pass from death to life, the transaction is instant.
Through faith we become children of God in just a moment.
Our citizenship is transferred from earth to heaven’s realm
Where it is safe eternally, with our Lord at the helm.
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The most dramatic transition, is this world to the next.
Now let us place all this carefully in its true context.
Paul said to be absent from the body is to be there,
Present with the Lord in heaven’s glory, where all is fair;
Instantaneously changed from heartache to glory.
Christ is the One we love; for us, that is transition’s story.
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We passed from babies to become children,
And that process we did not understand.
We moved from children to become adults,
And partially, we did understand.
Then the change from adults through to old age -
That was the change we could understand.
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But the change from death unto life we know –
In a moment of time, changed forever.
The greatest transition of all for us –
From earth to heaven, that none will sever.
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R E Ferguson 15 January 2022 Metre = 10s and 14s Most is AABB etc