The Ancient Word...

In this series, John has shown us that "eternal life," or "age life" (aionios zoe), involves both knowing God and seeing God.

The life of the new age also includes being with God. The Lord speaks of God's presence as a future hope in John 14:1-3:

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me [in the Father's house -- in the presence of God] that you also may be where I am. (NIV)

We have not yet entered the Father's house -- not yet experienced the Resurrection to "eternal life" with God.

However, we have already begun to experience God's presence on this side of the Resurrection -- already begun to experience "age life" in the present. Jesus explains:

If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever -- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me...Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him...If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. (John 14:15-19a, 21, 23)

"Age life" involves being with God. Inasmuch as God's Holy Spirit already dwells within us, "age life" has already come. We have not yet moved into the Father's "house," but He has moved into ours.

... for Today

This last statement captures the peculiarity of Christian faith.

While other religions go in search of God, Jesus tells us (and shows us) that the Father has come in search of us. We don't need to seek His Presence. We only need to open our eyes to it.

When Terry fell off the wagon, he fell hard. Alcohol consumed him. He drank to escape the pain of life, but the grog simply created a new hell for him. What he could forget in a drunken stupor tormented him in his sobriety.

Then one day, in utter desperation, he cried out to God and something awoke in his heart. Abandoned by friends and family, barely surviving in shelters and under bridges, he realized that he was not alone.

He had stumbled around in an alcoholic haze for years, but the "Hound of Heaven" (as Francis Thompson once called the Lord) had tracked him down.

Terry thought he was appealing for God to come. In fact, his cry was a response to the God who had already come.

As the Light increased in intensity, Terry knew he had discovered the essence of life -- not in houses, hot meals, reliable vehicles, or good career prospects, but in the Father's Presence.

We spend our lives bouncing from pillar to post, stumbling toward "home." But before we get there, we look up to find -- contrary to what we expect or deserve -- a Father who runs down the road to hug us before we can offer an excuse or explanation (see Luke 15:17-24).

Eternal life is not a place, but a Person. And His address is not a mystery. He resides beside us and within us. Doctrine gives way to adoption. Intimacy displaces intimidation. He who prepares a place for us has found a place in us.

Discuss...

1. Describe times when you experience God's powerful Presence. How do you feel? Would you describe it as a "life" experience or a "death" experience?
   
2. How can we open our eyes more fully to His Presence in our lives?

Chris Davis, PhD & David Timms, PhD
Hope International University
Fullerton, California

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