He Will Bless You with Resurrection to Eternal Life
John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me WILL live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
The word "eternal" and other related words tend to be humanized in our everyday conversations. For example, one might say about a long boring lecture, "I thought that class would NEVER END." Or some of you like me have BFFs (best friends FOREVER). My BFF Sharon Suiter Reyes and I have been friends for 22 years (and today is her birthday!). My other friend Madelaine Miller Singleton has a very old dog that has been given the name "Lily EVERLASTING" because she is approaching her 18th year of life! These examples are lengthy in our world's terms, but when we look at the word "eternal" in God's economy, the meaning is rather mind-boggling. Read and think about it's definition:
Eternal-- lasting and existing forever; without end or beginning; indestructible, imperishable, boundless, timeless, enduring
Ladies, we have been blessed with ETERNAL (indestructible, boundless, timeless) life! Can your mind grasp this forever blessing? While I was in the process of finding scripture for this "HE WILL study", and with Friday's post being a consistent "heavenly focus", I have had the opportunity to investigate lots of verses about our hopeful future. Oh my, I discovered that Jesus had so much to say about heaven! He came to give us abundant life while on earth, AND ALSO to give us life forever and ever and ever. HE wants us to go to His place and to enjoy His blessings...without end.
How badly does Jesus want this for the people He loves?
In order for Him to give eternal life to mortal man, He had to conquer death first. Therefore, with you on His mind, He chose to walk Calvary's hill. Jesus says, "No one has taken it (life) from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative" (John 10:18). Eternity in heaven is a free gift to us but it came at a great price to the Lord Jesus. He chose "to taste death for everyone"(Hebrews 2:9) because He knew the grave would not hold Him down. His resurrection from the dead broke the chains of sin and death for all those who believe. Now this is good news to carry in our hearts TODAY!
I'm challenging myself throughout the day to think about these things:
1. Jesus died my death.
2. Jesus conquered death.
3. Jesus blesses my faith in Him with ETERNAL life.
4. ETERNAL LIFE is in my heart right now.
When the hours get long, and the day has a whole lot of earthly things going on, roll and re-roll these hope-filled truths around in your head and your heart. Heaven is the last and greatest blessing of our faith, and He WILL do it because He said so.
FURTHER: John 3:16; John 6:46-51; 1 John 5:11-13,20; 2 Corinthians 4:14; Revelation 1:12-18
Dear Lord Jesus,
You came to earth to bless our life on earth with forgiveness of sins and with your indwelling Spirit. You give us joy in the midst of ups and downs of life. But there is more...You also came to retrieve us to Your home in heaven. You want us to be with You! Thank you for breaking the curse of both sin and death so that we could live with You forever. What a gift! Help us today to revisit this truth and thank You all over again. In Your Name. Amen.
