Experiencing God

“I write unto you fathers, because ye have known Him that is from the beginning…”
 (I John 2:13)

The “little children” to whom John speaks in the previous verse are the new Christians, the “babes in Christ.” They have just begun their walk with the Lord.

In the passage before us today John, being inspired by the Holy Spirit, is writing to the more mature saints. These have grown in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord and Savior. These could sing with John Newton in his song, “Amazing Grace,” “Through many dangers toils and snares I have already come; ‘tis grace that brought me safe thus far and grace will lead me home.”

God will give us what we need to grow. It is up to us to use what He gives us. To grow we must spend time in the Bible, reading, studying and meditating on it. We must spend time with God in prayer.

To grow we must not run from our problems, but stand firm in faith, believing our Lord is present to see us through. In Psalm 23 the psalmist sees us going through the valley of the shadow of death with the Shepherd’s presence: not running from the problems in the valley. To run from the problems in the valley is to not experience the sustaining presence of the Shepherd to see us through.