“SO THAT WHEN HE APPEARS WE … ” Christadelphian thoughts based on the daily readings for 16th June 2016
We continue our readings in Judges, it was the time when “everyone did what was right in his own eyes: [21 v.23] – until God brought Samuel onto the scene.
But we are waiting for a far greater ‘Samuel’ to appear – and John’s epistles give us the answers to that with words for our profound meditation.
But first we must look at our chapters in Isaiah. After the seeming interlude of chapters 36 to 39 about Hezekiah and his significant inter-reaction with the LORD – the theme of the prophecy totally changes to one of “Comfort” to God’s “people.”
[v.1]
and is a vision of when “the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
[v.5]
In v.28 we have a challenging question, one that is equally challenging today! “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary;his understanding is unsearchable.” Humans cannot search out the real origin and meaning of life as well as the depth of the ways of God.!
Then in v.31 there is a promise that inspires each one of us today! “….they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength … they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. ” We wait for our Lord and Saviour’s return and the experience of this wonder!
As we start reading John’s first letter we see he makes the point, that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us …” [1 v.9] We confess them to him! See Psalm 32 v.5. Note what John then says, “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.” [2 v.3]
And what are his commandments! John challenges us! “… whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” [2 v.6] Jesus sets the example, we must take fully into our minds how he told his disciples, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”. [John 13 v.34,35] In his letter John tells us that our way of life shows whether we truly “abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.” [1 John 2 v.28]
It is surely not long now before “he appears” – may love for our Saviour and his (and our) God, and “for one another” dominate our thinking, and therefore all that we say and do! And then, as a result, as we will read tomorrow,“we may have confidence for the day of judgment.” [1 John 4 v.17] and the time when we “renew” our “strength.”
By Bro D.Caudery
