Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotional for today is provided by Doug Tritton.  Doug, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, is currently pursuing a M.Div. at Gordon Conwell Seminary while working fulltime.  He is married to Cindy and they serve at Symphony Church in Boston.  (Also, they just became parents!  Congratulations!)

Devotional Thought for Today

John 17:1-3

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

How do I get to heaven? What is the secret to eternal life? What do I need to do!?

For many people seeking eternal life, their focus and attention is all wrong. They simply have a desire to live forever (i.e. not die), so they want to know the secret, the magic elixir. With this mindset, it’s like we are looking for the fountain of youth, thinking it is something we can attain once we know how. But eternal life is not about living forever, nor is it something that we simply can attain on our own.

This passage very clearly states what eternal life actually is. It’s not living forever, though that is a by-product of it, nor is it a fountain of youth that we can simply find—but eternal life is knowing God and His Son Jesus. Eternal life is about having a relationship with God through Jesus. Through this relationship we will live forever with Him, but the focus is not on us living forever; the focus is on being with Christ forever. He is our King who will reign in His Kingdom forever, and when we know Him, we enter into this eternal Kingdom.

Throughout the ages, people have been looking for the secret to everlasting life. Thankfully, the answer is not a secret; rather, it is good news to be shared with all people. Knowing Jesus Christ is eternal life and He wants to be known. Let’s dwell on Him and remember that our relationship with Him is the one thing that shall forever endure! And more than that, let’s make this good news known to all people!

Prayer

Jesus, thank You that You are eternal life. Thank You for making Yourself known to me. Without You, there is only death and despair, but with You, there is life—everlasting life! Help me to keep my focus on You, knowing You are the One constant, the One who will never change—neither in this life or the one to come!

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Corinthians 11

Lunch Break Study 

Read 1 John 2:23-25: No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.

Questions to Consider

1. What happens when we confess Jesus?
2. What is the promise that God makes to us?
3. How can you abide in Jesus?

Notes

1. When we confess Jesus, we receive the Father, for Jesus is the only way to the Father (see John 14:6). Without knowing Jesus, we cannot know God, because God has made Himself known to us through Jesus. That is why knowing Jesus is necessary!
2. Eternal life is the promise of God to us. Romans 6:23 tells us that eternal life is the gift of God in Christ. As we read in John earlier, Jesus is eternal life, so Jesus is the gift of God the Father to us, and He is the promise of God. Jesus is the One promised since the very beginning!
3. Usually abiding means “to live or dwell” in something, so to abide in Jesus is to live in Him, to make your whole life about Him. As you abide in Jesus, you are abiding in eternal life now. People often think of eternal life as something experienced after death, but in reality, we abide in eternal life now as we abide in Jesus.

Evening Reflection  

Reflect on Jesus being eternal life, that by having a relationship with Him right now, you are living eternal life right now. Let the peace of that reality give you rest tonight.