2John 1:6 This is love: that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it. (NKJV)
The Christian life is not nearly as complicated as we have made it. It can be difficult, it can be trying, it certainly is sacrificial, but it is never complicated. It is infinitely deep in application, as divisive as a surgeons knife; and though its full measure can hardly be comprehended even after a lifetime of devotion…. it’s not complicated.
This is the beautiful mystery of God; that His ways can simultaneously be incomprehensibly deep and yet so simple that a child can fully encompass and obey them.
Matt 18:2-3 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
The Christian life is simply two things: what God did, and what we should do. Here’s what God did:
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
That’s how God showed love. How do we show love?
2John 1:6 This is love: that we walk according to His commandments.
God saved us. We should obey His commandments. That’s the Christian life. Over and over in the New Testament obedience is equated with love and with security in our salvation. Read 1st John.
Too simple you say? Why? Why is it our need to complicate what God has made so lovingly simple? Overwhelming? It doesn’t have to be.
Most of us live our Christian lives in phases of self-effort that last from several days or weeks, to many months or years. Then we look back and become overwhelmed at our failures and the weight of sin that has separated us from God’s presence. We take each of those periods or phases of our life and determine that we will “fix” it, or get it right “next week” or “next month” or “this new year”.
God is concerned with your obedience TODAY.
Matt 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Learn to live with a “daily” mindset. It has been said that there are only two days in a person’s life: today and judgment day.
You cannot change one instance of what happened yesterday. Jesus Himself commanded us to not worry about tomorrow for obvious reasons.
So we are left with TODAY. Pray that you will obey God’s commandment today without concern that you MIGHT fail tomorrow. And at the end of the day, confess your failures and ask for strength for your NEW try tomorrow.
Sin and failure separate us from God’s presence and rob us of our peace, joy and security. If you confess your sin each and every day, live one day at a time forgetting the past and leaving the future to God…
If you live with a “daily” mentality, you will never
have more than one day’s failure, sin or trouble
separating you from intimacy and peace with God.
We typically let days, weeks and months of sin build up in our lives bringing us to the point where we are ashamed to go to God; we’re embarrassed about how long it has been sin we “cleaned up” with God or had any real fellowship with Him.
Start with today. Confess your sins right this moment. Determine to obey God’s commands today. Then tomorrow you will be no more than one day from the peace, joy and security found in the intimate presence of your loving Savior and God.
Determine to obey God today. God is the Great God of New Beginnings. Tomorrow you get a new chance.
Father, help us today to be concerned with only today. For your glory, may we strive to know your will and obey you this very day. We thank you now that you have graciously and lovingly granted us a new start tomorrow. Amen.
Contemplation: Is your life a roller coaster of spiritual failure with valleys of mediocrity followed by peaks of time “fixing” things? Has your life ever been marked with consistent Christianity?
Application: It’s been said that every person only has two days in their life: today and judgment day. Live the former in light of the latter. It’s not a corny sentiment. You can’t change yesterday and you have no clue about tomorrow. Learn to truly live one single day at a time in obedience and life won’t feel overwhelming.
- What is the most obvious Bible truth you have learned today?
- What change in your life needs to be made concerning this truth?
- What specific thing will you do today to begin that change?