02/05/2023 – Day 343 – 1 John Chapters 4-5 // You might be asking: “Why a post for next Sunday’s reading before yesterday’s reading.” (Other than just: Jimmy is a mess!)
God knows the number of hairs on our head, so just maybe, this is file this minutia under “God’s sovereignty”, and just obey. haha but seriously as well! But basically, I didn’t look at the reading assignment, so I thought the read was the entire book of 1 John, but it is in fact just chapters 1 through 3. Last cycle, Day 336 has two posts as I recall dated 04/18/2021, so again, you can use your search tool : “Day 336”, if you weren’t with us two years ago.
So, let’s drill down to look at just two verses: 1 John 4: 17-18. Get ready for a blast of sublime Truth! Ready?, ok, let’s do it with a prayer!:
“God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4: 17-18.
Quite frankly, I don’t know how to comment on this verse. It is simple, sufficient and last but not least, unfathomable Truth on its own.
There you have it brothers! For very rough days beyond anything we’ve experienced, six plus decades in my case, this single verse is sufficient. And if we were questioned by future believers that we are witnessing to, we could easily tie a multitude of verses directly into it, and tie it with one bow around it. (Allowing of course for ongoing prayers and reflections “outside the box” of course, as the Holy Spirit directs us.). I will say, many of those verses would tie into our weekly discussion board on the book: “How to be Holy” by Peter Kreeft. Just one example: Go to the top of page 35, the 1st paragraph. From that, a convicting “fear of the Lord” moment: “If we examine ourselves with honesty we will discover, only one reason why we are not as holy as the saints. because we do not wholly want to be”. So we pray, the Holy Spirit will fix that for us! Praise God!; Our Triune God is unfathomably loving indeed!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Your brother in Christ,
Jimmy