Circle
Ecclesiastes 1; Psalm 90:1‑2; Psalm 93:1‑2
“Will the circle be unbroken by and by, Lord, by and by? There’s a better home awaiting in the sky.”
Man lives, and his life and glory are played out in a few short years, a mixture of gladness and pain. He weakens, dies, and sinks into the dust from whence he came. Another takes his place, and within a few generations even his memory is lost forever. Consider those things for which men struggle and die: power, glory, and wealth. It all crumbles. The universe itself had a beginning, and will one day perish in fire and darkness. Whether peasant, king …or galaxy, everything faces the grave.
To the man who says there is no god, this seems like the end of the story. But to the man who knows the Risen Lord, this is just the beginning. God, who created time, is not bound by time. He exists independently of past, present and future. Before anything else existed, God was, and if everything else passed away, He would still be. The circle is a fitting symbol for God, with no beginning and no end.
Our lives seem like a segment of a line, bounded by our birth and our death. But Jesus rose again, proving that man will also rise again. For 40 days after His death, Jesus walked this world. After that, He ascended into the next. Our lives will not end, and death is more like a change of address. Those who love and follow Christ will rise again to eternal life with the Lord, the source of everything good. Those who do not follow Christ will rise again to eternal life without Him, and suffer for all time without light, without love, without beauty, and without peace.
The circle or ring is the symbol used in Christian marriage to signify love that goes on forever. It reminds us of the love we will share with one another and with the Lord in Paradise.
Like the triangle, the circle is everywhere about us. Tires and tools, pots and pans, cakes and cookies, hats and faces, and thousands of everyday sights remind us that God is eternal. In His wise providence, He has provided many ways for us to remember His attributes, His character, and His goodness towards us, if we open our eyes to see.
As we celebrate Advent, let us thank God for His eternity, and for the eternity that we will share with Him. Knowing that God is there and always will be in spite of our failings or spiritual blindness brings us comfort beyond measure. We know that He hears, that He acts, that He is for each of us. The next time you are doodling away and draw the inevitable circle, think of the God you serve and His majesty and power. Thank Him for His strength and comfort each day.
Enjoy a light-hearted Christian Christmas romance, A Cup of Crisp at Christmas.
