​Week 39, Day 5

​Week 39, Day 5
September 30, 2022
Scripture: 1 John 2
 
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If you love the world, love for the Father is not in you. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful people, the lust of their eyes and their boasting about what they have and do—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:15–17)
 
There is eternal life for those who are in Christ. We are called to remain in Him and seek to obey the will of God.
 
This is one of those prescriptive moments in the Bible where we are told what is good and beneficial, but the execution and carrying out the prescription is often lacking.
 
I’m not so good with the prescriptive scriptures of the Bible. “Do not love the world…” often becomes a greater temptation to love the world! Have you noticed that in your own life? Someone tells you that you can’t have something, and all the sudden you want it more. You can’t have the cake, don’t eat it! Well, then I want cake, and I want to eat it too!
 
So how do we heed the counsel of God’s Word? In our own power, it doesn’t go so well. John here points us to the anointing we’ve received to belong to God, and have his help for us. He keeps teaching us and forming us. We remain in him. His guidance, his forgiveness his love…it keeps working and shaping us.
 
“Do not love the world” becomes less prescriptive and more instructive for me as I keep praying and reflecting on the text. I’m guided to love God and remain in the Father. I’m drawn to him as I’m drawn away from the world. As I look to God, the less pursuit of the world and love for it I have.
 
Reflect on the love of God and be drawn to Him.
 
And go eat some cake!