ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 17:3

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) John 17:3

 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Reimagining Eternity: Why Eternal Life Starts Today

When you hear the phrase “eternal life,” what comes to mind? For many of us, our minds immediately fast-forward to the future. We picture golden streets, a distant paradise, or an endless clock ticking away long after our time on earth is done. We treat it like a retirement plan—something we secure now but can’t actually touch until this life is over.

But in John 17:3, Jesus stops us in our tracks by giving us a direct definition of His greatest gift:

“And this is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

Notice the tense Jesus uses. He doesn’t say, “This will be eternal life.” He says, “This is eternal life.“

Jesus defines eternity not by its duration, but by a relationship. It is more than an endless existence; it is an intimate, deep connection with the Creator of the universe. And the most incredible part? That relationship doesn’t start when you take your last breath. It starts right now.

A Present Reality

Eternal life is a gift we receive the moment we surrender our lives to Christ (Romans 6:23). As Jesus reminds us in John 5:24, the believer “has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”

Think of it like a marriage. Saying “I do” at the altar alters your status instantly, but it is only the first page of a lifelong story. We don’t maintain our spiritual life based merely on a past decision. That initial choice is the gateway into a daily, active, and deepening relationship with Jesus (1 John 5:12). God is not looking to spend forever with people who didn’t care to get to know Him here. He invites us to walk with Him today, finding our ultimate fulfillment and purpose in His presence.

A Future Hope

While eternal life is a current experience, it is also a glorious future hope. One day, this partial reality will become complete. Whether we pass through physical death or are caught up to meet Christ when He returns (John 14:3; Titus 3:7), we will enter the fullness of His uninterrupted presence forever.

But how do we bridge the gap between our current reality and our future hope? By living under the direction and power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:12-17). The Spirit is our daily guide, transforming our hearts so that our lives align with the kingdom we will one day inhabit completely.

Don’t wait for heaven to start experiencing the life Jesus bought for you. Take time to know Him today. Talk to Him, listen to His Word, and lean into His grace. True life has already begun.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for the profound gift of eternal life. Forgive us for the times we have reduced Your ultimate sacrifice to a distant future destination, missing the intimacy You offer us in the present.

We want to know You. Not just know facts about You, but truly experience Your heart, Your character, and Your love. We yield our lives to You today. Teach us to walk in active, ongoing faith, guided and fueled by Your Holy Spirit. Thank You that our eternity starts now, rooted firmly in Jesus Christ, our Savior. In His beautiful name, we pray. Amen.

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Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

1. JESUS’ PRAYER JOHN 17:1
2. THE FATHER HIMSELF LOVES YOU / JOHN 16:27
3. WHATEVER YOU ASK IN MY NAME / JOHN 16:23
4. TAKING FROM WHAT IS MINE / JOHN 16:14
5. HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH / JOHN 16:13
6. CONVICT THE WORLD / JOHN 16:8
7. IF I GO I WILL SEND HIM / JOHN 16:7
8. THEY WILL PERSECUTE YOU ALSO / JOHN 15:20
9. GO AND BEAR FRUIT / JOHN 15:16
10. REMAIN IN MY LOVE / JOHN 15:9-10
11. ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH / JOHN 15:7
12. LIKE A BRANCH THAT IS THROWN AWAY / JOHN 15:6
13. REMAIN IN ME / JOHN 15:4
14. EVERY BRANCH / JOHN 15:2
15. I AM THE TRUE VINE / JOHN 15:1
16. HOLY SPIRIT / JOHN 14:26
17. HE WHO DOES NOT LOVE ME / JOHN 14:24
18. WE WILL … MAKE OUR HOME WITH HIM / JOHN 14:23
19. WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS / JOHN 14:21
20. I WILL COME TO YOU / JOHN 14:18
21. THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH – WITH YOU AND WILL BE IN YOU / JOHN 14:17
22. I WILL ASK THE FATHER – COUNSELOR / JOHN 14:16
23. IF YOU LOVE ME YOU WILL OBEY / JOHN 14:15
24. ASK IN MY NAME / JOHN 14:13
25. GREATER THINGS / JOHN 14:12
26. I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE / JOHN 14:6
27. I WILL COME BACK / JOHN 14:3
28. MY FATHER’S HOUSE / JOHN 14:1-4
29. KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES / JOHN 13:35
30. LOVE ONE ANOTHER / JOHN 13:34
31. PIECE OF BREAD / JOHN 13:26
32. AT A LOSS TO KNOW WHICH OF THEM HE MEANT / JOHN 13:22
33. WASH ONE ANOTHER’S FEET / JOHN 13:14
34. UNLESS I WASH YOU / JOHN 13:8
35. WASH HIS DISCIPLES FEET / JOHN 13:5
36. ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 12:50
37. LOVED PRAISE FROM MEN / JOHN 12:42-43
38. THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE / JOHN 12:39-40
39. DRAW ALL MEN TO MYSELF / JOHN 12:32
40. PRINCE OF THIS WORLD WILL BE DRIVEN OUT / JOHN 12:31
41. WHOEVER SERVES ME / JOHN 12:26
42. HATES HIS LIFE IN THIS WORLD / JOHN 12:25
43. SON OF MAN GLORIFIED / JOHN 12:23-24
44. SHOUTING HOSANNA / JOHN 12:13
45. THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY / JOHN 12:12
46. MARY POURED IT ON JESUS’ FEET / JOHN 12:3
47. FOR THE SCATTERED CHILDREN OF GOD / JOHN 11:51-52
48. THE DEAD MAN CAME OUT / JOHN 11:44
49. JESUS WEPT / JOHN 11:35
50. DEEPLY MOVED IN SPIRIT / JOHN 11:33
51. I BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE THE CHRIST / JOHN 11:27
52. I AM THE RESURRECTION / JOHN 11:25-26
53. STAYED WHERE HE WAS TWO MORE DAYS / JOHN 11:6
54. JESUS LOVED MARTHA AND HER SISTER AND LAZARUS / JOHN 11:5
55. SICKNESS FOR GOD’S GLORY / JOHN 11:4
56. YOU ARE GODS? / JOHN 10:34
57. THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH / JOHN 10:28
58. MY SHEEP LISTEN TO MY VOICE / JOHN 10:27
59. I KNOW MY SHEEP / JOHN 10:14-15
60. I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD / JOHN 10:11
61. THE THIEF COMES … I HAVE COME / JOHN 10:10
62. I AM THE GATE / JOHN 10:9
63. JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD / JOHN 10:1
64. THOSE WHO SEE WILL BECOME BLIND / JOHN 9:39
65. THEY THREW HIM OUT / JOHN 9:34
66. WORK OF GOD MIGHT BE DISPLAYED / JOHN 9:3
67. BEFORE ABRAHAM WAS BORN, I AM / JOHN 8:58
68. WILL NEVER SEE DEATH / JOHN 8:51
69. HE IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES / JOHN 8:44
70. IF GOD WERE YOUR FATHER / JOHN 8:42
71. YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED / JOHN 8:36
72. EVERYONE WHO SINS / JOHN 8:34
73. THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE / JOHN 8:32
74. IF YOU HOLD TO MY TEACHING / JOHN 8:31
75. I PASS JUDGMENT ON NO ONE / JOHN 8:15
76. I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD / JOHN 8:12
77. NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU / JOHN 8:11
78. IF ANY ONE OF YOU IS WITHOUT SIN / JOHN 8:7
79. JESUS HAD NOT YET BEEN GLORIFIED / JOHN 7:39
80. AS THE SCRIPTURE HAS SAID – STREAMS OF LIVING WATER / JOHN 7:38
81. GAIN HONOR FOR HIMSELF / JOHN 7:18
82. IF ANYONE CHOOSES TO DO GOD’S WILL / JOHN 7:17
83. IT HATES ME / JOHN 7:6-7
84. FEAST OF TABERNACLES / JOHN 7:2-3
85. JESUS HAD KNOWN FROM THE BEGINNING / JOHN 6:64
86. EATS MY FLESH AND DRINKS MY BLOOD / JOHN 6:54
87. THE FATHER … DRAWS HIM / JOHN 6:44
88. MY FATHER’S WILL / JOHN 6:40
89. I WILL NEVER DRIVE AWAY / JOHN 6:37
90. I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE / JOHN 6:35
91. DON’T BE AFRAID / JOHN 6:20
92. JESUS PRAYS ALONE / JOHN 6:15
93. THE FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND /JOHN 6:7
94. MIRACLES / JOHN 6:1-2
95. DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT HE WROTE / JOHN 5:47
96. ACCEPT PRAISE FROM ONE ANOTHER / JOHN 5:44
97. YOU DILIGENTLY STUDY / JOHN 5:39-40
98. YOU HAVE SENT JOHN / John 5:33
99. THOSE WHO HAVE DONE GOOD – RISE TO LIVE – THOSE WHO HAVE DONE EVIL / JOHN 5:29
100. HAS GRANTED THE SON TO HAVE LIFE IN HIMSELF / JOHN 5:26
101. HEARS … BELIEVES / JOHN 5:24
102. MAKING HIMSELF EQUAL WITH GOD / JOHN 5:18-24
103. PERSECUTED HIM / JOHN 5:16
104. STOP SINNING / JOHN 5:14
105. THE MAN WAS CURED / JOHN 5:9-10
106. THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS / JOHN 5:5
107. SIGNS AND WONDERS / JOHN 4:48
108. CROP FOR ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 4:36
109. LOOK AT THE FIELDS / JOHN 4:35
110. SURPRISED TO FIND HIM TALKING WITH A WOMAN / JOHN 4:27
111. TRUTH / JOHN 4:24
112. WORSHIP … IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH / JOHN 4:23-24
113. SAMARITANS WORSHIP WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW / JOHN 4:22
114. WATER … ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 4:14
115. SAMARITAN WOMAN / JOHN 4:7
116. WHOEVER REJECTS / JOHN 3:36
117. GIVES THE SPIRIT WITHOUT LIMIT / JOHN 3:34
118. LOVED DARKNESS INSTEAD OF LIGHT / JOHN 3:19
119. GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD /JOHN 3:16
120. JUST AS MOSES LIFTED UP THE SNAKE / JOHN 3:14-15
121. THE WIND … THE SPIRIT / JOHN 3:8
122. BORN OF WATER / JOHN 3:5
123. BORN AGAIN / JOHN 3:3
124. TEMPLE / JOHN 2:19
125. DROVE ALL FROM THE TEMPLE AREA / JOHN 2:15
126. SIGNS / JOHN 2:11
127. CHOICE WINE – HAD TOO MUCH TO DRINK / JOHN 2:10
128. WINE – THEY HAVE NO MORE WINE / JOHN 2:3
129. YOU SHALL SEE HEAVEN OPEN / JOHN 1:51
130. CEPHAS … PETER / JOHN 1:42
131. THE FIRST THING ANDREW DID / JOHN 1:41
132. THE TENTH HOUR /JOHN 1:39
133. WILL BAPTIZE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT / JOHN 1:33
134. LAMB OF GOD / JOHN 1:29
135. PHARISEES / JOHN 1:24
136. GRACE AND TRUTH / JOHN 1:17
137. THE WORD BECAME FLESH / JOHN 1:14
138. BORN NOT OF … HUMAN DECISION / JOHN 1:13
139. RECEIVED … BELIEVED / JOHN 1:12
140. THE WORLD DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM / JOHN 1:10
141. GIVES LIGHT TO EVERY MAN / JOHN 1:9
142. HIS NAME WAS JOHN / JOHN 1:6
143. LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS / JOHN 1:5
144. LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN / JOHN 1:4
145. WITH GOD IN THE BEGINNING / JOHN 1:2
146. THE WORD / JOHN 1:1
147. CREWS N AWAY: ANCHORED IN GRACE

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Blessings, Margarita & Stace