Eastertide
May 10, 2018
Scripture Reading: 1 John 5:9-13
If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son. Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
The Greek word for Life, zōḗ is described by Strong’s Concordance as both physical and spiritual. All life (2222 /zōḗ), throughout the universe, is derived – i.e. it always (only) comes from and is sustained by God’s self-existent life. The Lord intimately shares His gift of life with people, creating each in His image which gives all the capacity to know His eternal life*.
Likewise, Eternal** (166 /aiṓnios) life operates simultaneously outside of time, inside of time, and beyond time – i.e. what gives time its everlasting meaning for the believer through faith, yet is also time-independent.
It would be pure speculation on my part to describe what life after death was like and I take great comfort in the knowledge that we will spend eternity in the presence of God. Eternity started at our first breath and gained substance in our choice to follow the Son of God. We are living in the now of that eternity and I think that is where our emphasis must be targeted. We are charged with being the Body of Christ in our world today. Loving like Jesus loves is an avocation that demands all our energies in all aspects of our lives.
Being a follower of Christ calls us to invest ourselves in seeking the wholeness that comes from the love of God that allows us to be the Body of Christ. We can become distracted from that work when we stray from our primary mission. Humanness involves our being fully capable of both good and evil. Wholeness is what draws us toward the good. Practicing spiritual disciplines keeps us aligned with the goodness of God.
Prayer: Lord, forgive me when I get distracted from following your way. Set me on the path of eternity with you. Amen.
*http://biblehub.com/greek/2222.htm
** http://biblehub.com/greek/166.htm