"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." – Luke 10:28

Today's Scripture Reading (January 11, 2024): Luke 10

Eternal life starts now. I know the pushback. I have said this before, and almost every time I do, someone comes up to me and tells me that this life sucks. I know. I am not living in a fairy tale life where I believe that somehow life is perfect here. But, in Christ, I am here to make this world more like heaven, not less. The church is commanded to be the salt and light that the world needs to make it better. If that is true, then eternal life starts now. We are the salt and light, and that changes our world.

One of the last words spoken by Jesus was said to the thief on the cross. The words were, "Today you will be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43). The first person to get to our eternal home was a thief, and we struggle to understand that reality. But maybe it goes beyond just words to a thief. I mean, they are included in the same Bible that you and I have read. Christians down through the ages have heard these words: Today, you will be with me in Paradise. And I am not sure that we understand all of what Jesus meant with those words. But I wonder if maybe those words were not directed just at the thief. Is it possible that they were also intended for John, Mary Magdalene, his mother Mary, and his aunt, and all who had gathered at the foot of the cross? They were all hearing every word that Jesus was speaking. Later, they would take those words and retell them to others. He said, "Today, we will be with him in Paradise." We are going to make the hard choices. We are going to love when love doesn't make sense. We are going to bring life to a broken and dying world. It won't be easy. It will be a fight, but the effect that love will have on this world will far outstrip the impact that the suicide bomber has as his bomb goes off.

The expert in the law wants to know about eternal life, but the truth that Jesus recognizes is that the man isn't living now, not really. But he could live. He knows the path; "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind;' and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself" (Luke 10:27). Jesus's response is "Do this, and you will live." Not just in the future, but you will start living now.

Do you want eternal life? Today, eternal life starts here and now. Jesus said, "Do this, and you will live," and that life can never be taken away. I know it is a huge ask, but here it is. Love God and your neighbor, and eternal life can begin today. Or, in Jesus's words, "Do this, and you will live."

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: John 7