Good News: The Future is Now! - Wholly Loved - January 1
Good News: The Future is Now!
By Dawn Tolbert
“Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” John 17:3
When life hits hardest and our news programs and social media feeds flood us with difficulties, we can find comfort in knowing paradise is coming. But what if we can experience God’s gift of life now, in the middle of our difficulties?
One of the greatest promises of Scripture is that of eternal life for all who believe. We can look forward to the day when our “faith will be sight” (2 Corinthians 4:18) and we’ll stand in the presence of Almighty God, our King. We’ll experience intimacy with Him and indescribable joy in His presence that lasts beyond time itself.
That’s something we can all look forward to.
But today’s verse offers an incredible twist: eternal life starts now!
Yes, amazing things await us in Heaven. But by knowing God through Jesus Christ, we can experience the blessings of this everlasting relationship now, right here on Earth.
This type of knowing involves more than just our intellect. The knowing Jesus is referring to, ginosko in the Greek, is a knowledge gained through personal experience. Therefore, eternal life is experiencing God fully with our heart, soul, and mind. As we develop an intimate relationship with Him, we receive the fullness of life He spoke of, and it starts now.
This wonderful promise comes when we believe Jesus is who He says He is, did what He said He did, and trust in Him for our eternal salvation. As we surrender our lives to Him, He gives us His life in return. If you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus, invite Him into your life today. He loves you so.
If you’ve trusted in Jesus for salvation, praise God for drawing you to Him and cultivate a deeper relationship with Him. Ask Him to help you know Him more fully and experience His love and grace on a deeper level.
Dawn Tolbert, a contributing writer to Wholly Loved’s devotional project, is a Christ-follower who writes to honor God, thank Him for His goodness, and encourage readers by sharing her faith journey. She works in higher education public relations and is writing her first novel and her first book-length Bible study. She has earned a B.A. in Communication Studies and English (Gardner-Webb College), a M.A. in Professional Writing (Kennesaw State University), and an Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership (Union University). She and her husband, Larry, live in Cedartown, Georgia, and serve actively in their church. Dawn blogs at dawntolbert.com.
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