I remember thinking this question throughout my life in different ways. As a child in elementary school, I pondered eternity with a feeling like fear. Not because of heaven or hell as much as the feeling that time with my soul would keep going. And not stop.
I couldn’t comprehend this.
As an adult, I formed some theological ideas around eternity (mainly from sermons and teachings on New Testament writings over the years). I’m currently working through the Writings (Old Testament) with new lenses from different teachers/rabbis and they’ve opened even fuller pictures of eternity to my mind.
Some of the most beautiful ideas and pictures I’ve encountered on time and eternal things have come through fictional writings of C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and (most recently for me) George MacDonald.1
I feel like nature, relationships, and art have helped me most in this thought journey. So rather than try to give answers, here’s the poem.
how will time feel after death?
by Durgan Maxey
how will time feel after death? sometimes that makes my stomach twist to ponder things outside control eternal life without an end and then I think of things too short like time with loved ones gone too quick or places I have never seen and time in silence, never long enough to have the deep communion I desire and Spirit burning in me like a fire and so in fear in trembling I await the Maker of the time beyond the end
Till next time,
Durgan
Some of these specific writings that come to mind in light of time and eternity are: The Space Trilogy and The Magician’s Nephew by C. S. Lewis, “Leaf by Niggle” by J. R. R. Tolkien, and Phantastes by George MacDonald.