Eternity in our hearts

Not all of us would say we are Christians or churchgoers or believers. But if we're honest, we all know the truth of what the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:11: "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." Even if we don't know God, have just a vague belief in a God out there somewhere, perhaps say we're atheists, can't fathom God at all, we still have eternity in our hearts.

We know, for example, that this world is not as it should be; that it should be perfect. Why else would we judge and criticize and get angry when things or people don't "measure up"?

We know death is wrong. We react to it as the enemy God says it is. We know it's unfair to live only 70 years or so and then to die. Or to have our loved ones taken from us.

We know there shouldn't be the evil we see all around us and in us. So we make laws to state that and to remove from the streets the evil that we deem to be unacceptably bad. We feel guilt when we hurt someone and anger when they hurt us. We react against evil. This is not how it should be.

And I would say, even though we may ignore God most days or even outright deny Him, we know in our hearts that He is there and we need Him. Why else would we see people who have everything in life but who are still dissatisfied with, even depressed over their lives. How could that ever be if having wealth and family and success and whatever else we think makes for the "good life" still doesn't cut it for people? Why are we all chronically dissatisfied? And if not dissatisfied, then wistful -- "If only ...". Why do we buy lottery tickets if this life as we're living it satisfies us? Why are lottery winners still not fully satisfied? Why is it that nothing in this life ever seems to stop our wanting more? What is the "more" we're all seeking?

I think it's God. We're dissatisfied because we have eternity in our hearts and the only thing that is truly eternal, having always existed and always existing, is God. A sense of Him is in our heart. And we know it, whether we admit it or not, whether we want Him or not, whether we'll ever pursue Him or not.