Weird title, I know. But I can’t help it. To be honest, I’m not quite sure what God has in mind for this blog as a whole, but I have to share with you more than just what’s going on in my life. God is a big part of my life and I give Him total credit to who I am now. He has used many people as I’ve grown up and through work to guide me into a closer walk with Him. But it’s because of Him that I’m here. Without Him I am nothing. I have found my identity in Christ so I must share what He’s teaching me.
My study today has let me to John 17. I only got through the first five verses. There’s too much to ignore and not say anything. I’m going to attempt to not get into a huge theological discourse on some of these statements, but keep to what must be done as a Christ-follower. Even though we might not agree on some of what these phrasings mean, we can agree on our purpose. So lets not spend time arguing but rather living and doing the Word. But if we have to talk about some of these things, I’m not opposed.
Jesus mentions that He will give eternal life to all those given Him. What I want to point out is what He says eternal life is. Verse 3:
Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Wow. I thought eternal life was living forever and never dying. I’m sure that’s part of it. But there’s something awesome about this. We can start living eternally right now! Here we are, living in this world, not even noticing God but seeing with our eyes and believing through our actions and thoughts that this all we are. We live for the next paycheck, the promotion, to have children, for relationships, for the job, for a phone call, to please someone else, in pursuit of happiness and we miss what’s truly real because all we can focus on is the material, what we see and touch. Eternal life is given to me and to you, if you believe, because Jesus completed His work. Eternal life is access to something we’ve never had access to before: a real relationship with God. A One on one time with Him anytime of the day as often as we want.
I have had a struggle this past year with materialism. I wanted to move to a nicer house, something that I think would fit our family better. In one month we doubled our debt because life got in the way of us getting out. Our basement flooded, our windows broke, and my grandmother passed away. All of these things caused stress. Wouldn’t they to you? I could justify it that way, but then I ready that I am not of this world. Why should I stress? Sorrow comes and goes and so does happiness. But the joy that runs deeper comes from my focus on the eternal that has been given to me because I believe in Jesus Christ. I know Him! And if that is eternal life, then I can start now living eternally and not focusing on these earthly pains.
This is so very real.
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