SCRIPTURE: 1 John 2:9-17
OBSERVATION:
John is writing to 3 generations of believers (new, growing and long-time Christians, “children, sons, fathers”), encouraging each one to keep their hearts and lives focused on God, and on love, and aware of the attacks of the enemy. The evil one is good at distracting us with the fleeting pleasures of this world, or with the frustrating problems of others, so that we do not love God and love people like we ought to. Love for our brothers means more than just those who we are related to, or close to, or like. All people are our brothers and sisters, though not all of them realize or act like it. Everyone is a child of God, but not everyone is in fellowship with Him as their Father; they are runaway, prodigal children.
APPLICATION:
When it boils down to its simplest level, love for God and love for others (the great commandments) are what we are called to do. As simple as this is, yet it is very challenging, since it goes against the distorted, sinful bent of the heart, which basically loves me first, selective others second, and God only when necessary. The radical edge to this teaching (which has always been God’s main intention/desire, ie the “old command”) needs to be resuscitated again and again. We are constantly taming and blunting its edge, making “being religious” more important than “being loving”. If I just made doing the most loving thing in each moment my guide for action, that would change how I respond to interruptions, crises, people in need, difficult people, etc. It would also direct how and where I would spend my resources – less for myself, more for others.
PRAYER:
Lord, forgive me for being more religious than loving. Yes, I go to church, put money in the offering, avoid certain immoralities, pray, read the Bible, but do I love You, do I love others? Help me to start focusing on You, on loving You, and on loving others. Amen.
Light power. One needs the light in order to see where he walks. In order to walk in the Mater’s footsteps, I need the Light. Walking this morning to the office with no light power is dangerous for there is no vision. One readily stumbles and falls because he is blinded by the darkness. He has no Guide and therefore is lost.
Not so the children of the Light. That is family. The fathers have known Him from the beginning and the young men are strong in Him. God is the wind beneath their wings. They shall rise like eagles and not be weary but strong in the Lord.
Help me this day Lord to be strong in You. Continue to be the Light power that drives me each day to live for You and help me to see You. Help me this day to live for Jesus doing the will of my Father in whose steps I try to walk. A follower of the Way, the Truth and rhe Light.
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.