I love Ecclesiastes 3.11.   In the middle of Solomon’s downbeat sermon is this verse of scripture.

‘He has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.’

We can’t know or understand all of God’s purposes.  His ways are high above ours.   There are parts of our stories that have left us bemused at best and there are many experiences that will not make sense to us in this life.

But there are some things we do understand because He has put eternity in our hearts.  We know there is more than just this life and that heaven is infinitely more real than the desk I am sitting at or the computer keyboard I type on.

We know, but we forget.

We forget that this life, however wonderful it is, cannot satisfy.  We forget and then we wonder why we feel restless.  We wonder why in the wake of the most perfect occasions or celebrations we can feel flat and empty again and why our happiest experiences are often tinged bittersweet.

C S Lewis says it like this, ‘If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.’

Restlessness is a gift.  It reminds us of who we are.

Ephesians 5.8 tells us we are children of light.  In the Amplified Bible it says we are to lead the lives of those native-born to light.’

This is our identity.  As new creations, we are from light and of light and light is where we belong.  

Philippians 2.15 says that when we live like Jesus calls us to, we shine like stars.

Stars are not of this world.  We see them, we admire their beauty and they feel close but they are from somewhere else, somewhere very far away.

And so it is for us.  We are here, shining as lights, living our lives, following Jesus on earth.  But our light is from somewhere heavenly, somewhere eternal.  We are not of this world and so it will never quite feel like home.

Never forget who you are.  Live this life well but live it as a visitor.  You were created for so much more than this so be restless, be discontent with everything this world offers.  Only Jesus, His life and His purposes, will satisfy.