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

Dear Lord Jesus, meditating on this passage this morning has been like revisiting an old friend, for I can remember the first time I memorized this verse and you began wrapping it around my heart. That was over forty years ago, yet I feel like I’m just beginning to understand the true wonder of eternal life—the life that is freely ours, only at a great cost to yourself.

How I praise you that eternal life is so much more than simply living forever in your presence, though I so look forward to that. It’s a quality of life before a quantity of life. It’s the life of “the age to come”—the Messianic era in which you will ultimately put all things right and make all things new.

It’s about knowing—in the most intimate sense imaginable, God as Abba, Father; and knowing you—the “sent one,” our Lord, our Savior, our righteousness, our Bridegroom—the One’s whose love is better than life, whose grace is more than sufficient, whose mercies are new every morning, whose delight in us is constant and whose affection for us never wavers. Oh the sheer privilege, unparalleled honor, most liberating reality!

It’s not merely knowing about you—though there’s so much more I do want to know about you; but knowing you personally—better and better and better. And it’s about being known by you—in all our brokenness, weaknesses and messes. What wondrous love is this, indeed…

Holy Spirit, I cannot deepen my knowledge of God apart from your work. So my prayer is simple: keep me craving, longing and desiring relationship with God, more so than anything else in the world. Don’t let lesser breads satisfy this craving. Don’t let lesser waters slake this thirst.

Keep revealing more and more of Jesus to me. Humble me with his glory. Astonish me with his beauty. Mesmerize me with his mercy. Buckle my knees with his affections. Change me by his grace. Free me for his purposes. For indeed, “the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action” (Dan. 11:32). So very Amen I pray, in Jesus’ all-consuming name, most worthy name.

 

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