We are not waiting on someday.

(photo credit: shadesvalley.org)

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, New International Version)

There may not be a more familiar or more often memorized verse in the entire Bible. What a comfort to know that God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us. And if we trust Him (that's what "believe" means), we will one day be with Him in heaven.

But, wait! Do you realize that verse is not talking about heaven someday. In fact, it is not talking about heaven at all.

Check out these words of Jesus in John 17:1-3: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now THIS IS ETERNAL LIFE: THAT THEY KNOW YOU, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." (Emphasis mine)

Eternal life is knowing God! If we have trusted Jesus for salvation, we are not waiting on someday. We have eternity's life right now. Heaven will simply be a glorious and fulfilled continuation of our life in God. Our challenge is to live with that perspective in this broken world.

Question: How might our lives be different if we lived as if we are already experiencing eternal life?

Leave a comment below.  I'd love to hear your perspective.