Friday, September 30, 2011

These boots are made for walking

I am possibly one of the most terrible bloggers of all time.  I look at the same post that pops up in my homepage and, uninspired, I move on.  In an effort to maintain discipline in several areas of my life, I'm going to try to post more regularly. 

I recently began a morning Bible study group called Good Morning Girls which walks through the Bible one verse at a time.  I joined a group of like-minded ladies to share what I'm learning.  It's been two weeks and I have to say that I love the accountability and the discipline of getting up early.  If only getting up to exercise were this easy!

We've been walking through 1 John:


1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

It's amazing what I've overlooked in my haste to "read" the Bible.  I'm being forced to meditate each day on a small chunk and I love it. 

John walked, talked, laughed, touched, heard, and saw Jesus.  This book is his proclamation of the Gospel of his Savior.  It is John's desire for us to know that same Jesus.  I know the truth of Scripture, but sometimes it seems so abstract.  This was a great reminder that this brother in Christ almost 2000 years ago is giving me his testimony.

I was also convicted about my double-mindedness.  I can't claim to be one thing and act differently.  What I do overflows from my heart.  If I confess Christ, God is faithful despite my faithlessness.  I need to be more honest about my own sin.  I heard a great sermon by Mark Dever called "Can I know God and keep on sinning?", a great reformed exposition of these verses. 

Walking in the light doesn't mean I don't sin, but that Christ exposes sin and declares me righteous.  What an encouragement to walk!