Do you think of eternal life as something that begins later – at a time called eternity? Well, with God there is no time. And so, with Him, eternity has already begun. As a Christian, you see, you already have eternal life.
The final word of the 23rd Psalm is “forever.” “…and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” David began the Psalm by saying “The Lord is my Shepherd…” and he ends by saying that he “will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Now forever is a long time! It goes on and on – and when you have exhausted your ability to count – forever has merely begun.
Actually the word “forever” here is two words which literally mean “for the length of days.” The first word is a word that means “length or duration,” and carries the idea of “stretching something out; to lengthen or prolong.” The second word is the plural word “days.” So together the phrase says, “For the lengthening or prolonging of days.”
Now that’s a good way to think about eternity. Your days just keep going on and on. There’s a lengthening of your days. So David is really saying, I will dwell where the Lord dwells day after day after day. In other words – forever!
We live in an existential world, which means that people really only think about today – we are the “now” generation. But the Bible says that we will live forever, and only if the Lord is your shepherd will you spend that forever in the house of the Lord.
Have you acknowledged that you are a sinner before God and recognized that Jesus’ death on the cross was the payment for your sin? Have you personally received Jesus Christ as your Savior and thanked God for His gracious provision for your salvation? Well, if you have, then the Lord is your Shepherd – and you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Hey – don’t take forever lightly! Make sure you will spend it in the house of the Lord!