Day 10- Talking a Good
Talk
I wasn’t sure where to go after
2 Peter. A few different ideas were popping up in
my head, but when I opened my Bible to the bookmark
at the end of 2 Peter, I just started reading 1 John
chapter 1.
In the first four verses, John is adding
to Peter’s testimony that they are eyewitnesses
of the Truth, the Word, Jesus. John says we
have heard, we have seen with our eyes, we have looked
upon, our hands have handled, we bear witness
and we are declaring to you
that eternal life and fellowship with the Father and
His Son Jesus Christ can also be yours.
Eyewitnesses are a big deal. Today in
a court of law, when you have several eyewitnesses
identifying someone or testifying the same truth all
which is confirmed by facts, it’s a slam dunk.
This is what we have here. John is one of many people
to have seen, heard, touched, lived with and witnessed
Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Many non-believing
people try to explain how certain events surrounding
Jesus could have happened, but no one who was there
or has researched these events can deny they happened.
The last half of the first chapter,
John is comparing what we say to how we walk. We can
say until we’re blue in the face that we believe
in God and follow Him, but if we continue to walk
in ways against God and His Word, we’re essentially
liars, not practicing the Truth. Or if we boast that
we’re so great and we don’t sin, we’re
deceiving ourselves. But if we walk in the ways of
God’s Word and we confess our sins, He is faithful
and just to forgive us and cleanse us and bring us
into fellowship with Him and fellow believers.
It all may sound pretty basic, but I
remember a time when I talked a good talk but I was
far from living and walking in the ways of God. But
boy would I have been angry if someone tried to point
out the Truth to me. I would’ve claimed I knew
the Truth and probably tried to call out the hypocrite
card on whoever would have been bold enough to confront
me. But the bottom line was, I knew who God was, but
I didn’t know Him. I barely, if ever, talked
to Him. I definitely wasn’t reading His Word.
I certainly wasn’t going to listen or obey anyone
but myself. I don’t like calling myself out
like this, but that’s how I was, and I think
it’s important for me to remember because I
know there’s a lot of people out there now that
are walking in my old shoes.
Lord,
Thank You for the reminder of Who You are. I get so
caught up and focused on my own interests in this
life that I tend to place them above Your Word. I
say I walk according to Your Word, but here I am just
really starting to learn what Your Word says and means.
Lord, thank You for cleansing me, making me new and
changing my ways, but thank You also for reminding
me of my old ways, so that I will remember where I
was and be sensitive to where others may be now.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
