“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.”
1 John 4:17
For even the most confident of us, thoughts of the end of our life and the moment of judgment when we stand before the Lord can be frightening. What will it be like? What will we say?
When things are going smoothly in this life, we often leave Jesus behind. We think we can get along without depending on Him much because we are handling life well on our own. As trust in our own strength grows, the distance between us and Christ increases. But for all our confidence, we still wonder what will happen in our final moments. Fear begins to take root.
John tells us plainly in his first letter that “there is no fear in love” (v. 18). God’s love in us is an active force, living, cleansing, transforming us in our inner being. That love was perfected on the cross when He died for us so that when we die at the end of our earthly days, we will stand joyfully welcomed into His arms.
He’s working in us now to make us more like Him, using all of our circumstances—the ones we feel confident about and the ones which break us down—to draw us near.
When things are going smoothly in this life, we often leave Jesus behind. We think we can get along without depending on Him much because we are handling life well on our own. As trust in our own strength grows, the distance between us and Christ increases. But for all our confidence, we still wonder what will happen in our final moments. Fear begins to take root.
John tells us plainly in his first letter that “there is no fear in love” (v. 18). God’s love in us is an active force, living, cleansing, transforming us in our inner being. That love was perfected on the cross when He died for us so that when we die at the end of our earthly days, we will stand joyfully welcomed into His arms.
He’s working in us now to make us more like Him, using all of our circumstances—the ones we feel confident about and the ones which break us down—to draw us near.
Scripture Focus
1 John 4:13-21
Insight
Lord, I know You’re preparing me for a weight of glory beyond imagination. Help me know You now so I have confidence when I see Jesus. Amen
Bible In A Year
- Job 35-36
- Psalm 59
- Luke 22