What makes up a human life? From our first day to our last day on the earth, our lives are a collection of memories. But as we go through life and our mind starts to dim, our memories fade. What memories will last? At the end of our days, what will remain? As believers, we have the privilege to have not just physical memories, but eternal ones. Every day we have the opportunity to bring our experiences before the Lord where they can be shined upon, changing us and depositing something eternal — something of Christ. In a human life, our bodies and minds may decay, but the memories preserved in our spirit last forever.
A believer’s life is a life of light. Naturally, our fallen minds are dark. But when we bring the Lord into our experiences, He illuminates our memories in our spirit (2 Cor. 4:6). And in His light, we can be changed; He renews our darkened minds by His presence, transforming us. All of our memories in Him become a treasure trove, experiences we carry with us and by which we are continually fed. Just like a gemstone with many facets looks different when the light shines from varying angles, we, too, see our experiences with new revelation as He shines on us anew each day. Only in this divine and ever-new light can we be refreshed, gain substance, and grow unto maturity.
Like a gemstone, the more transparent we are, the more light can shine. Through this experience of His shining, the Lord is seeking our transformation for His building. Our churching — our New Testament tabernacling — is our shared living together in these illuminated, eternal memories. Today, our church life is simply enjoying all that Christ is as He has revealed Himself to us and through us. Just as the Israelites celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles to remember their harvest before the Lord (Deut. 16:13), we also are “harvesting” these shined-upon experiences throughout our life and sharing them together with the saints in Christ. Today, we are His living stones, being built up into a spiritual house (1 Pet. 2:5). What is New Jerusalem if not a glorious city of light, built of precious stones (Rev. 21:11), housing these shared memories between God and man? Brothers and sisters, let’s serve one another unto this eternal harvest of light!
(Above are notes of fellowship taken from a gathering on 8/16/2024, not reviewed by the speaker.)