Scripture: 1st John 3:24
All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.
Thought for the Day: I had an interesting conversation with someone in a hospital waiting room recently. The question hinged on the idea: Is God with us only when we do what God desires or is God with us always? If you are a student of the Bible, then you know there are passages that could be used to argue either way. And there have been those who have used the lack of God’s presence in their lives as an excuse for why they did not do what they should have done. Which is, if you really think about it, a circular argument that spins around and around and around. I tend to think that that the life of Jesus is the answer the question. Jesus never waited around for people to start following God’s ways before showing up. He fully immersed himself in the lives of those who were struggling to follow or had outright stopped following the ways of God. Our decision to “obey his commandments” is an acknowledgment of God’s presence, and God’s presence is what helps us “obey his commandments.” If God waited on the sideline for us to start to obeying, I have a feeling that God would be there a long time.
Prayer: We give thanks for your everlasting presence, O Living God, for it is your loving presence that draws us into faithfulness and Christ-like actions. Amen.
