This is eternal life

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)

In December of 1997 (almost 30 years ago!!!), I was hired by NewLife Christian Fellowship to serve as a part-time youth pastor. At the time, I was in the middle of my senior year at UConn, and I agreed to drive to Glastonbury every Wednesday and Sunday to attend church, lead a Wednesday evening senior high and a Sunday evening junior youth group, and get to know people in the church. Eventually the position became full-time, and I served in the position until I left for seminary in August 2002. I still remember that when I got up in front of the church to be introduced, one of the first things I said with 21-year-old wonder was, “I can’t believe I’m getting paid to spend time with God!”

Over time, life and ministry has gotten significantly more complicated. As responsibilities and pressures mount, I am finding that the greatest challenge is to not lose the heart and power of not only ministry but my life – spending time with God. In John 17:3, Jesus tells us that eternal life – life to the fullest – is not primarily about an endless time of bliss with no pain or stress, but is essentially knowing God, knowing Jesus. And that, of course, is something that does not have to wait until death, but can be experienced today.

No matter what your life circumstances may be, and no matter how complicated your journey has been, I encourage you today to come back to the heart of it all. Although your life is but a mist, here today and gone tomorrow, the amazing thing is that through Jesus’ life and death for your sins and resurrection from the dead, and through the gift of the Holy Spirit, you have the unbelievable privilege of spending time with the eternal God of the universe. Nehemiah 8:10 tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength. Paul reminds us in Ephesians 1:18-22 that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us through our God. In Philippians 4:7, Paul tells us that when we bring our anxieties to God, we can find in Him a peace that passes all understanding. And in Romans 8:35-39, we are reminded that nothing can separate us from His love. All this and more is ours in the presence of our great God.

I sincerely hope that the wonder I experienced at 21 years old will remain a part of me until the day I see Him face-to-face. And I pray for you, that you would also be overwhelmed with joy that the God of the universe has invited you into an eternal relationship of love with Him.