The gift
So let me get this straight… Eternal life isn’t something I’ll get someday, it’s something I have right now? On the one hand, that’s mind blowing, but on the other, it makes a lot of sense.
Before I was spiritually dead, and when I came to Christ, I was made spiritually alive. Not much gray area there, right? When a baby is born, he or she is as alive as they are ever going to get – physically, anyway.
I don’t know why, but it gives me a totally secure feeling to know that eternal life isn’t out there as a future thing; it’s what I have right now. Maybe it’s reassuring to know I can’t screw it up in some gigantic way and forfeit it, inadvertently.
Maybe I’m just in awe of a God who would give that kind of a gift. It’s as if I have it in my hands; I haven’t opened it yet, but I own it and I can hold it and admire the wrapping paper, confident that someday I will see exactly what’s in the box.
So thankful.
I too really liked his focus on eternal life not being something "over the rainbow", but it's right here, right now. As a christian, the challenge is, "What difference does that make in my life? Do I live my life differently because of my gift of eternal life?"
ReplyDeleteNeil says, "Eternal life is something you possess right now because you're in Christ." That has to impact my daily life, right where the rubber meets the road.
Lord Jesus, give me the strength to live my life out with the every present reality and knowledge that your eternal life that you have given me is a daily transforming power in me.
So this makes me think, if eternal life is here today, I already have it, then I don’t want to squander a gift I have been given. What do I need to do to make sure I appreciate and fully hang-onto my gift of eternity? I don’t know what it looks like but I want to hold on to it and I am so glad I have been given it.
ReplyDelete