Day 357, or December the 23rd. Some things really
are certain. Our thoughts today come from 1 John
chapter 5, verse 13. I write these things to
you who believe in the name of the Son of God,
so that you may know that you have eternal life.
And now the big picture surrounding this verse.
John concludes his first letter with a plea to
love as Christ loved. He uses the word translated
love 27 times in chapter 4 alone, and it is obviously
a mark of real discipleship in John's mind, and
God's too. He goes on to say that we can be sure
of our salvation and be guided by prayer and
freed from habitual sin. It is a lovely warm
letter from the last physical link with Jesus
and drips of genuine sincerity. This letter contains
words from a godly old man who was once described
by Jesus himself as a son of thunder alongside
his brother James. And now today's action step.
As John writes near the end of his earthly life,
he yearns to transmit his certainty of eternity
with as many people as possible, and his words
are still a source of encouragement and assurance
all these centuries later. He writes so that
we will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that
we have eternal life, the reality and not the
illusion. There are few things in this world
today that are absolutely certain, so much so
that certainty has become a lost concept for
many. Take a look in a jeweller's shop window,
and you will see watches marked as water -resistant
rather than waterproof. When I worked in the
construction industry, we had for many years
used materials that were called rot -proof. but
are now labelled as having a high resistance
to biodegradation. It seems we only get real
absolutes in the advertising world when films
are described as unforgettable or the funniest
ever. No one ever believes this hype and therefore
many have difficulties believing John when he
is so dogmatic. Believing advertisers is one
thing and believing God's word is another. God
is totally reliable, and you can depend on that.
We have it in writing.