Eternal life is the culmination of many of the other blessings that we enjoy in Christ.  The joy of being redeemed, having ongoing access to the blood of Christ, and being free from Satan and sin, is all because of the eternal life those blessings make possible.  Eternal life is the ultimate reward for the child of God.  It is the prize that we win for finishing the race of Christianity.

1 Timothy 6:12 (ESV)
¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Notice, eternal life is what we were called to by the gospel of Christ, but now we must take hold of it.  How do we do this?  We do so by loving God, which involves keeping His commandments (John 14:15), and loving one another (John 15:12).  As long as we do this, will have eternal life.

1 John 3:14 (ESV)
¹⁴  We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.

Take note that for those of us who are faithful, this life has already begun.  The truth is, however, this life—eternal life—will get better and better.  In this world, joy, while it is something we can and should experience, is tempered by the difficulties caused by the presence of sin.  In heaven, we will experience the full measure of abundant life.

Eternal life in heaven will be void of many of the things that bring us so much emotional heartache and sorrow in this world.  John tells us that in heaven, God will wipe away all tears.  Death will be no more so the mourning and crying that accompany it will be gone as well (Revelation 21:4).  Who has never felt the sadness of death?  We have all had family members to die. Ever since sin has come into the world, death has been present (Genesis 3:2-3).  In eternity we will never experience the grief of death again.  Yes, we should all take hold of eternal life.

Eternal life in heaven will be lived with incorruptible bodies.  John tells us that when Jesus appears, that is, when He comes back to get us and carries us home to heaven, we shall be like Him (1 John 3:2).  That means that, not only will the emotional pain be a thing of the past in eternity, all physical pain will be gone as well.  We will spend eternity in a tabernacle not made with hands, eternal in the heavens (2 Corinthians 5:1).  Is that not something worth taking hold of right now?  But, there is more.

Eternal life will offer us a dwelling place in the literal presence of God.

Revelation 22:3-4 (ESV)
³  No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. ⁴  They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

What more motivation do we need to take hold of eternal life?  Nothing can compare to it (Romans 8:18).  But remember, eternal life starts now.  If we do not take hold of it in this life, we will not get the chance to enjoy it in the life to come.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.