And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.
1 John 2:28
John returns to his favorite admonition, “abide.” He tells his readers that Christ is coming and describes two possible responses when Jesus appears: confidence or shame.
Confidence because our faith and forgiveness are anchored in Jesus, our Advocate. Or the shame of realizing we have spent years living carelessly before the One we claimed to love.
Imagine encountering Jesus. The hands pierced for us. The eyes that saw every hidden compromise and every act of faithfulness. The Savior who never stops loving us. John wants that moment to be filled with confidence. The path to confidence begins with is abiding now.
We do not prepare for Christ’s return by obsessing over dates. We prepare by remaining close to Him. We confess, forgive, obey, and remain.
Someday our faith will become sight. The Jesus we pray to, trust, worship, and follow will stand before us. John wants us to meet Him without running for cover.
Father, we confess that we live as though Christ’s return were distant and our choices carry little eternal significance. Thank You that Jesus takes away our sin and shame and welcomes us into a relationship with Him. Help us remain close, confess quickly, and live faithfully so that His return brings us joy, not shame. We give ourselves to You today and ask that our lives be ready whenever Christ comes back.
Seeing Clearly,
eep
Our faith will become sight.
