“ Love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him” (1John. 4:17).
Jesus left earth having told His disciples that if they understood, their reality, their reactions and hopes, would be much different.
He told them that when they realized the truth then hidden to them they would rejoice and be glad.
He also said that were they to see things as they really are, they would have been happy for Jesus to go where He was going.
Now, some time later, this apostle who was there that day is telling us that we, those of us who have come to believe Jesus, are like Him in our day to day lives. How?
Jesus was one of us. He was the Son of Man, the child of a woman. He did nothing of Himself, and He told us that without Him, we could do nothing of ourselves.
He said, “Except the Lord is the builder, he that labors in vain” (Psalm 127:1).
Many of our readers lost fortunes in the savings and loan financial debacle of the 1980s. Now, twenty years later it is the bank failure. Before that it was the great depression, and years before that, it was a crucifixion. How are we as He in the world? We have crosses to bear.
Our strength is the same as His. Our task the same also. He came as the Potter’s son to put our broken lives back together again.
We are to go and preach also His healing Gospel. We are, because of Him, also the Potter’s sons.
With an earthquake comes much after–shock. With God’s judgment precedes many shocks before. His judgment is mercy. It is removal of rotten apples.
For His sparing purpose, He must cleanse earth from time to time. Oh how we reprioritize when a rumble is felt, but boldness? It is part of re-prioritizing.
Take courage, reader and fear not. He became as us, so we may be as He: assuredly bold.
Buddy