Key 17: Know Him

I write to you children, because you know the Father... I write to you young people, because you are strong, and the Word of God abides in you.  (1 John 2:14)

And this is eternal life, that they may know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he sent… (Jesus praying of Himself, John 17:3)

Eternal life is this: to know Him. More than getting into heaven or avoiding hell…. God wants you to know him as your perfect Father.

Of course when you know him, you’ll want to (and be able to) be with him in heaven forever. The cool thing is when you know him, forever can start now.

You know Him, because He abides with you, and He will be in you. (John 14:17)

God is love.  God is light.  God doesn’t keep a record of wrongs.  God is patient.  God is kind.  God lives in you through Holy Spirit. You can’t know Him until you’ve received Him.  You can’t receive Him until you’ve believed His Words.  You can’t believe His Words if you don’t know He’s Perfectly Good.  His Goodness is freedom from sin… freedom from fear… freedom from self.  His love fills your heart until there are no empty rooms.

Through the Holy Spirit we are restored to paradise, led back to the kingdom of heaven, adopted as children, given confidence to call God ‘Father’… called children of light and given a share in eternal glory. (CCC 736)

And because you are children [of God], God has sent His Spirit into your hearts crying, ‘ABBA!  FATHER!’  So you are no longer a slave but a child [of God]… and also an heir… (Galatians 4:6,7)

I write to you little children, because your sins are forgiven on account of His Name. I write to you young people because you have conquered the evil one.  (1 John 2:13)