Reading this morning, two sentences seemed to be flashing neon signs. My spirit perked up. Those sentences were where I lingered with the Lord this morning,
Verses 1-2: My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
I don’t generally want to sin. By that I mean, I don’t wake in the morning and think, “Ah, this is the area of my life where I want to run from God and harm myself and others.” I do, however, choose to sin throughout the day. Situations emerge and I make ungodly choices. I can so relate to verses 1-2. I know God doesn’t want me to sin, but thankfully, God provides a way out when I sin… Jesus. But if anybody does sin, (that’s me daily!) we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, (Jesus paid the penalty –atoned for- my sin and not only that He is my defense attorney and my defense! Thank you, Jesus, for doing what I could never have done for myself!) and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world (and Jesus offers the same for the whole world and everybody that obeys, loves and believes in Jesus accepts his offer and is covered by His atonement).
This first sentence helped me appreciate Jesus and what He has done for me. Oh so much! I regularly marvel at the gift of life Jesus offers through belief in Him.
Sentence number 2 came in verse16: For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. Even though I routinely recognize my own sinfulness and sin, I still find it easy to fall into the trap of, “At least I am not as bad as so-n-so…” Well, my little ‘justify myself cocoon’ was torn apart when I read this sentence and this caused me to cherish verse 1&2 all the more.
These sentences opened my eyes to my propensity to sin, in areas I don’t necessarily consider. For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man (cravings… what do I crave, seek after, desire, envy? each are doorways to sin… overt acts or mental dallyings, they are sin, nonetheless), the lust of his eyes (reading those words returned me quickly to a sermon I preached less than a month ago, Feb 28, 2010, on sexual purity. My life, our 21st century lives, are inundated with lures to promiscuity. I have to be vigilant!) and the boasting of what he has and does (I live in a community of boasting…. the houses we own, cars we drive, handbags we carry, our college pedigrees, vacation homes, grand vacations, importance of our jobs, etc. Ugh, I am saturated with myself. This pierced deeply!)--comes not from the Father but from the world. In simple terms, it is sin. So as I mentioned, God brought me back to verse 1-2 and my need for Jesus.
Jesus, Father, Spirit, on the one hand I don’t like times like these; times of brutal honesty about the real me, the me underneath with whitewashed façade of pretending to be, ‘oh so good.’ Even if I was the ‘goodest’ person on the earth, which I am not (!), I would still fall far short of Your measure.
Yet, in Your grace and wisdom God, this honest look, as painful as it is, brings me back to the cross, back to the atonement Jesus provided, back to my defense attorney and Lord Jesus. That never ceases to refresh my soul and bring joy to my spirit. Thank You, God, for washing me clean again this morning through honest reflection of my life and renewed recognition of my need for You… cleanse me with hyssop and I will be clean and wash me whiter than snow (Ps 51), I pray in Jesus name. Amen.
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