Focus on life in the now, not later

Lately, I've been thinking quite a bit about the spiritual life and the notion of eternal life. An enormous amount of thought, be it theology or popular spiritual literature, dwells on life after life. We as Christians base much of our living on our need to live ever after. Being saved drives much of the Christian life.

I'm aware of where this idea originated. The Bible speaks of the afterlife in many ways throughout its pages. Having the promise of eternal life is the caveat that many a Christian lives for. My recent concern dwells upon whether life after life is as important as life now. I'm beginning to take the stance that everlasting life is not so important to me. I want to focus on life now, not life later.

While I understand that the promise of salvation is a core doctrine of the church, I also understand it to be a matter of faith. It is not a reality that one can pinpoint to exist in the not-yet in my current manner of thinking. African religion understands this beautifully. In fact, in some African religions there is no conception of salvation. Instead, persons live on in spirit as ancestors. I view this as a qualitatively different future than one offered through most Christian thought.

When I conceive of the spiritual life, I appreciate my Christian heritage and all that it has afforded me. Yet, I am aware that for me the spiritual life is made more rich by my awareness that a dimension of living and being exists that is somehow incorporeal, but at the same time, quite real although intangible. I hope this doesn't sound overly nebulous, but merely having a conception and awareness of natural beauty, compassion, love, grace, friendship, privilege and so forth adds to the quality of living everyday that I cherish.

Of course, I say this as a middle-aged, middle-class, professional male who experiences no small amount of privilege and power in my daily circumstance. I certainly would have a different perspective were I poor, deprived of advantages, and living in a dilapidated shanty in another part of the world. I understand the difference. Power certainly has its advantages.

My main point is this. I want to focus on the life in the now, not life later beyond the living that I have in this material world.

Keep it real.