John 17:3 — And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
John 17:17 — Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth.
Eternal life can begin now, at the moment of believing on Jesus Christ. The moment we believe, we are assured of eternal life.
He have received the Holy Spirit, a gift, a privilege, the Helper who brings us the truth of God the Father Himself.
We have received the adoption of Jesus Christ, brought in close to His heart, bound up in a permanent bond that the World cannot understand.
We have received the love of the Father, who loved us before all things, made away before all things, and who now loves us because He sees the righteousness of Christ resting upon us.
The first step into eternity begins now. In our hearts, in our life, we will still experience many agonies, many hurts. We have mountains to climb, valleys to cross. But where are we going? To be with the Father. “And this is eternal life, that they may know You.” Jesus prayed that for us! All our steps across this painful earth journey are opportunities to KNOW the Father. How can we grasp that? To KNOW the Great Planner, the Great Creator, the Artist and Author and Maker and Holder of all things?
This is for us. And sometimes knowing the Father costs, hurts, as we are being led, pruned, guided. Sanctification is an active, ongoing process. We won’t reach the end of it before we finally fall onto our faces in the presence of the Father. Jesus, who redeemed us, made us righteous and beautiful, reassures us with His words, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.
Let’s take the first courageous steps, the next brave steps toward eternity. Let’s walk on the path that Jesus paved for us, fueled by the Holy Spirit, with the promise of the Father in our hearts.
Love it! “Sanctification is an active, ongoing process. We won’t reach the end of it before we finally fall onto our faces in the presence of the Father.” AMEN!