Verse of the Day 6/10

Verse of the Day 6/10

John 17:3-4   And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. ⁴ I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 

English Standard Version (ESV)

Today's verse came up recently in my read through the New Testament plan.  This year I've been reading from "The Pursuit of God" Bible with comments from A. W. Tozer, one of my favorite pastors and Christian authors from the past century.  We often consider what eternal life means in these posts and today's verses gives the foundation for what we believe and the hope that we have.  It is about "knowing God, knowing Jesus", not in a head knowledge, not in some abstract way, but as the basis, the substance of our hope (thinking also of Hebrews 11:1-2).

What does it mean to you to think of eternal life as "that we may know Him"?  How much time to we spend getting to know Him here?  It involves time in His Word and prayer, but not only that, it is feeling and knowing His presence through the days of life; with its trials and struggles; it's joys and celebrations; it's hopes and fears.

A.W. Tozer writes, "For all this we would not underestimate the importance of mere knowing about.  It's value lies in its ability to rouse us to desire in actual experience.  Thus, knowledge by description may lead to knowledge by acquaintance.  May lead on, I say, but does not necessarily do so.  Thus we dare not conclude that because we learn about the Spirit we for that actual reason actually know Him.  Knowing Him comes only by a personal encounter with the Holy Spirit Himself."  We worship Him, true worshipers, worship in "Spirit and in truth" (John 4:24), knowing Him better day by day, something that will continue through eternity.

The words of the verses and these thoughts reminded me of the song from Matthew Ward, "Knowing You, Jesus" in which he proclaims, "there is no greater thing".  There is no greater desire here on earth or for eternity with Him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBIklSO4JbM

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

John 17:1-5 The Message (MSG)

Jesus' Prayer for His Followers

17 ^1-5 Jesus said these things. Then, raising his eyes in prayer, he said:

Father, it's time.
Display the bright splendor of your Son
So the Son in turn may show your bright splendor.
You put him in charge of everything human
So he might give real and eternal life to all in his charge.
And this is the real and eternal life:
That they know you,
The one and only true God,
And Jesus Christ, whom you sent.
I glorified you on earth
By completing down to the last detail
What you assigned me to do.
And now, Father, glorify me with your very own splendor,
The very splendor I had in your presence
Before there was a world.