Focus
Pay attention to the tension in your body. Let go of it and any expectations to do anything other than God’s will today. Prepare yourself to hear God’s word.
Read
1 John 2:18-28 (NRSV)
Children, it is the last hour! As you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. From this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But by going out they made it plain that none of them belongs to us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and you know that no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.
No one who denies the Son has the Father; everyone who confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he has promised us, eternal life.
I write these things to you concerning those who would deceive you. As for you, the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and so you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, abide in him.
And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his coming.
Reflect
I keep going back to this verse….You have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. (1 John 2:20)
Have you ever been called a prophet, or a priest, or a king or queen? Probably not often. Most of us rarely think of ourselves that way. But God does. He lifts us up to live a full life of blessing and purpose.
Jesus Christ, Son of God the Father, was anointed with the Holy Spirit. As the Bible teaches, Jesus is our chief Prophet. This means he fully reveals to us the will of God and how God calls us to live. Jesus is also our perfect High Priest, who gives us access to God and has delivered us through the one sacrifice of his life for us. What’s more, Jesus is our eternal King, who governs us by his Word and Spirit. And we share in his anointing. We are called to believe and trust in Jesus and to honor his name, to serve as living sacrifices of thanks, and to reign with him forever. So, let’s consider all these things as the season of Lent helps us focus on Jesus and his sacrifice for us.
As the Spirit of God works in our lives, we gradually become like Jesus. Our identity begins to align with his. Our love and obedience to Christ grow as we carry out our calling who serve God. This becomes our identity.
Pray
Lord, help us see that you have saved us by grace to share in Jesus’ anointing and become like him. Lift us up to serve you. Amen.
Go with God!
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