1 John 2:14 I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.
Fathers who are faithful have walked with the Lord for a while and grown in maturity. But even those who have been on the journey a while need reminders like what John gives in this letter. We all need to be reminded from time to time of the reasons and resources for our journey. Our responsibility of walking in the light is to see and seek the light. We must look for it and keep following it. As we get older, our eye sight may begin to fade. Objects become blurry. We need the light of God even more, otherwise we grow comfortable with our own glow, our own self-righteousness.
John draws out the imagery of strong young men. They have energy and enthusiasm. They can focus this enthusiasm for things of God. They can be pace setters and pioneers. Moreover, their passion can be directed towards living for God. Victory comes through hiding God’s word in their hearts and overcoming the temptations of the deceiver. The sword of the Spirit, the word of God (Ephesians 6:17), provides protection. Hiding God’s word in our hearts protects us from sin (Psalm 119:11). Hiding God’s word in our hearts when we are young (in age and in the Lord) will set a firm foundation for the rest of our lives.
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