You've got 1000 places to go and things to do, but through it all you must 'abide in Him.'
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1 John 2 Summary
John is writing this letter near the end of his life, and the love and tenderness of his old age is apparent in the way he addresses his reader:
little children (v1, 18, 28)
Beloved (v7)
The Bible is not just a emotionless set of ethical norms or other worldly directions on how to gain immortality. The gospel message has been passed down from one generation to the next as godly parents instill it into their children around the table and before bedtime and as ministers proclaim it week to week in ways the congregations they love can understand.
In this second chapter, John implores his readers to value the Word they've received by living according to it:
whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked (v6)
abide in the light (v10)
do the will of God [so that you will] abide forever (v17)
Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you (v24)
abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence (v28)
Dig Deeper
The list above includes just five out of the ten times John uses the word abide in this chapter. This stands out in the ESV translation, because that same phrase gets used over and over.
The NIV translates the word abide several different ways:
live in him (v6, 10, 14, 17)
remain in the son (v24, 27)
continue in him (v28)
Certainly these are good translations and help bring forth this particular nuance of the Christian life that John, who's writing as an old man having experienced decades of both ministry joys and persecutions, intends: the Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint.
Know that whatever particular problems, challenges or even opportunities you face today will soon fade away. So whether your life is currently beset with storms or bathed in sunshine, remember 1 John 2, and abide in Christ.
AAA Prayer:
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father loves us, his beloved little children
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the grace, mercy and peace to continue abiding in Christ
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
