August 21, 2009 Confident Or Ashamed?
Today’s Bible Reading: Jeremiah 21, 24, 27; Psalm 118; 1 John 2
Scripture Focus:
1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
Observation:
When Jesus returns the Bible says we will all give an account of our lives. John urges us to abide in Jesus now, so that when Jesus returns, we will stand before him confidently without shame for how we’ve lived our lives.
Application:
I have to admit I’ve mulled over this issue a bit lately. I’m not a spring chicken anymore. I see my parent’s generation declining rapidly and saying good-bye to this world. If God wills, I may have another 30 years of life left—but what is that? It will pass more quickly than my first 55 years have.
Soon I will stand before Him, and how will I feel? Will I feel confident, or ashamed?
John gives us a clue about what will matter on that day.
1 John 2:10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
So here’s the question: Did I love people or things? And how does my life show that I either love people or things?
Prayer:
Father God, thanks for this reminder again today about what matters to you. May I be one who always choose people over things!
