How Hard?

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day: Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.—1 Thessalonians 5:14

Memory of the Month: John 10:27-28

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Today's reading: 2 CHRONICLES 13-14 JOHN 12:1-26

How Hard?

Jesus said, "The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going."

Yes, I know that the world would make light of such a statement and would ask why would such a statement be recorded-that's a 'no-brainer'.

But that statement is an indictment to the world-but mostly to us. It should weigh very heavily on us. Our job is to walk in the light as He is in the light.

1 John 1:7 ►But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Jesus said, "Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. John 12:35

He said this before the crucifixion, of course, and before the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost. Now, we have the light everyday, all the time. But then, He was teaching of Himself and His Father who sent Him to the Jews. This was all so new to them. They had believed in and walked in darkness for most of their history.

What does our history tell us about ourselves? Have we walked in darkness-do we walk in darkness? How much do we walk in darkness? It is not a corporate(national) question; it is an individual question.

If we go on down in the same chapter of John to verse 49 and 50, Jesus said, "...the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life..."

Earlier in John, Jesus says, 13:34 "a new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another."

We are to love, without condition, all around us-enough to tell them of the eternal commandment to eternal life-that this is walking in the light as He is in the light. If we first walk in the light, we will be seen as people of the light.

That is why Jesus said in Matthew 5:15"Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. "

Walking in the Light means shining before the world. Walking in the light means walking in Jesus and allowing Him to shine through us. It is not that hard, is it?

Learning to love to pray and loving to read the word and loving to worship with God's people-how hard is it? How hard is it to turn down the judgement of others and walk in peace and acceptance as Jesus walked?

Really-how hard can it be to let the false faces down and walk in freedom before our fellow man as we learn to live by the Holy Spirit in the mind of Christ?

What must we know? We must know Jesus-we must know ourselves and get that self out of the way and let the light shine through. The light cannot shine through as long as we are under the basket of self.

Jesus loves us and wants to love through us.

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

Forgive me my judging and my false face. I put it all aside. Shine through me.

Father of light and life!

In the name of Jesus,

Amen