“Dear children, let us not love
with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know
that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence
whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he
knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have
confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his
commands and do what pleases him” (1 John 3:18-22).
There are two expressions in these few sentences, one
seemingly disturbing, and the other reassuring. They are “whenever our hearts
condemn us” and “if our hearts do not condemn us.”
The second expression is the reassuring one. It is connected
with confidence, answered prayer, and obedience. It is wonderful to be in a
state where our hearts do not condemn us. However, with some of God’s people,
the disturbing expression seems to be true more of the time. They have hearts
that condemn them.
There is something else, however, that takes the disturbing
and makes it reassuring, and that is the main purpose of the passage:
“Dear children, let us not love
with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know
that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his
presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our
hearts, and he knows everything.”
How do we take a condemning heart and set it at rest in God’s
presence? God is greater than our hearts. The heart is not a legitimate
condemner or non-condemner. It’s not always correct. God is in the business of
setting our hearts at rest in His presence.
Written May 1983.
This post coordinates with tomorrow’s reading in the To
the Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,
please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.
Leave A Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.