“We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who says,

“I know Him,” but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

But if anyone obeys His word, God’s love is truly made complete in him.

This is how we know we are IN HIM:

Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.”

1 John 2:3-6 NIV

I was reading this scripture last night before I started any leisure activity and had to stop and ask God, “How did I do today”? I ask you also, “How did YOU do today?”

What are the characteristics that exemplified Christ’s life? Were those same characteristics present IN MY LIFE today? YIKES! The more I know God and His word….the more I see myself as the wretched sinner that I know I am!

Quietly, I begin to think of the incidents of the day where I acted contrary to God’s Word and direction.

· I ‘grumbled’ when there was a man cleaning the women’s restroom at L.L. Bean today, (waiting in line I’m not always good at doing!)
· I exceeded the speed limit as I drove (not honoring and abiding by the established ‘law’ of this land)
· I ate a Big Mac, probably a horrible food that Jesus NEVER would have subjected His holy body to
· and on and on.

I know, those acts of my day might seem trivial to you, but as I read this scripture, the Word sank deep into my heart. I asked the Holy Spirit just this morning to teach and convict me and shine His light on His Word so that I would learn and be more like Christ….and here I am tonight, examining my life and the actions of this day very closely! It seems that because I truly want to ‘grow in Christ’, the Holy Spirit continually shows me more and more…even the ‘trivial stuff’. He is always burning off the chaff or rubbing out the smudges of my life.

I must admit… I DO say, “I know Him” and yet there are times when I DO NOT do what God commands. The above scripture says I’m a liar in that case….hmmm) I ponder…and ask myself, “How deeply do I REALLY love God and honor His commands?” Our saying one thing and doing another…..it’s a bit like in the book of James where scripture asks if both fresh water and salt water can come from the same spring, or if a fig tree can produce olives or a grapevine produce figs? God wants whole-hearted and total ‘sold-out’ followers.

What now? This post isn’t written to put anyone on a “Lindy imposed Guilt Trip” nor is it written to make anyone feel like a second rate Christian. I write to myself, mostly, though I write with the conviction from the Holy Spirit, so…take it as HE leads.
What I do next is this; With a contrite heart, I approach the throne of GRACE and MERCY and seek God’s promised forgiveness. Just prior to the above selected scripture, in 1 John 1:9, the Word says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

After prayer and thanksgiving, I prepare and move on to a new moment and a new day full of PROMISE, to serve Him as He desires!

Praise God for His great grace and mercy. We are SO undeserving of that love…but it is FREE and God is waiting to shower His love on His dear children who come to Him, admitting their sin and who seek to love Him more deeply and serve Him better.

God is One of second chances….and third and fourth and even one hundredth, if that is what it takes! Every day is new! Every moment is fresh and ready to be lived FOR CHRIST. May we all accept the great challenge to “walk as Jesus did”.