Devotionals

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“I write to you, little children,
Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.” - 1 John 2:12

To the Children: Maybe you answered an alter call, when someone like a pastor talked about your need for Jesus and you went up because it seemed he was talking directly to you. Maybe it was a friend leading you in prayer after they told you about Jesus. It may have not happened right away but you did not plan this and yet there you are praying for the Lord to come into your life and save you. Maybe you even thought, “What is happening?”

It might have not been a prayer but you made a decision for the Lord. That is all that it comes down to.

It seems all like a dream. In my mind I see the Lord saying to you, “Hi, I'm Jesus, the king of the world, ruler of the universe, creator of your body and soul and your Savior. I have forgiven your sin.”

Maybe you thought, “I'm forgiven.” Maybe you wept at the overwhelming nature of that. In time you just could not fathom that God loves you just as you are and loves you enough to not let you stay that way. If you could put words to what you have felt it would be joy over the Lord's love and humility in response to His grace and mercy.

You are on a honeymoon with the Lord. You wake up in the morning wondering what you will read in your Bible that day. As usual you are both amazed, comforted and hopeful. You are coming to know the Lord is both gracious and merciful.

“I write to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.” - 1 John 2:13a 
“I have written to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.” - 1 John 2:14a

To the Fathers: After so much has happened you are right back there at the beginning. Maybe at times you basked in deep spiritual truth and talked with other fathers about prophecy, doctrine, what the Lord's vision is for you or your church. You are fathers now, having spiritually fathered many children. They know the Father as they have heard and seen from you. If anything has changed it is that you are beginning to see how grand those two major points of His nature are. You are coming into the timelessness of it all and that makes you feel so rightfully small, so young again and why not?

You are before the Ancient of Days.

In time, you see that it is only the Lord continuing to be gracious and merciful, as when you were young.

“I write to you, young men,
Because you have overcome the wicked one.” - 1 John 2:13b
“I have written to you, young men,
Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you,
And you have overcome the wicked one.” - 1 John 2:14b

To the Young Men: You have been in the thick of the battle. You have come to see that it is a matter of time before you are attacked because you are on the right side. You expect the attack and so your guard is up. You know who will fight with you and you have come to see that you need your battle buddies. This is just too big for one person to glorify the Lord.

You have come to see you cannot trust your own mind, unless it has basked in God's Word. Your maturity is not based on your knowledge though; it is based on dependence on the Lord through His Spirit and through those who fight with you. After victory you have come to see you must still keep your guard up because failure often follows victory if you do not stay on guard. As you have come to know the Lord through His faithful strength you also have come to know yourself through your undaunted need.

You find yourself thinking some daring things like, “This Word that is God's is my word.” You love your sword. With it there is a sense of purpose, even when things seem unclear; you have your marching orders.

In this manner you see the Lord has been gracious and merciful with you.

“I write to you, little children,
Because you have known the Father.” - 1 John 2:13c

To the Children, Again: In the Lord's good time you will see what the fathers and young men have seen and you will realize that you have known the Father as they have. In time that truth will not only be on pages in a book, but also the word in your life unfolding. All that will change is that you will see how He has been with you has only testified that He has never changed; He is just as gracious and merciful to you in the days to come as He is with you now.

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