Scripture Reading
1 John 5:11–12
11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
John 17:1–3
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Reflection
We often think of eternal life only as something that begins after death. John speaks about it differently. He says that God has given us eternal life.
Eternal life is not merely an endless future; it is the life of God shared with us through Jesus Christ. It begins now.
Through the Holy Spirit, we are already learning to live in the reality of God’s Kingdom. We are being formed into new people, learning new desires, and discovering a new way of being human.
That changes how we think about today. We are not simply waiting for heaven. We are learning to live the life of Christ here and now. Every act of forgiveness, faithfulness, humility, generosity, and love becomes part of that eternal life taking root in us.
Reflection Questions
Have I thought of eternal life mainly as something that begins after death?
What evidence of God’s life can I see growing in me now?
How would my priorities change if I truly believed eternal life had already begun?
What is one way I can practice the life of Jesus today?
Prayer
Jesus, thank You that eternal life is found in You and that I do not have to wait for some distant future to begin experiencing it. Teach me to live today as someone who belongs to Your Kingdom. Let Your life grow in me so that my words, choices, and relationships increasingly reflect Your presence. Amen.