Monday Devotional: May 6, 2024

Bible Reading: 1 John 5:9-13 (CEB)

⁹ If we receive human testimony, God’s testimony is greater, because this is what God testified: he has testified about his Son. ¹⁰ The one who believes in God’s Son has the testimony within; the one who doesn’t believe God has made God a liar, because that one has not believed the testimony that God gave about his Son. ¹¹ And this is the testimony: God gave eternal life to us, and this life is in his Son. ¹² The one who has the Son has life. The one who doesn’t have God’s Son does not have life. ¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of God’s Son so that you can know that you have eternal life.

For me, the standout word in this passage is “testimony”. The epistle writer repeats that word or some derivative seven times here. The Greek word is martyria, literally meaning “witness.” Of course, this conjures up images of Law and Order and John Grisham, but biblical testimony is much more than a courtroom scene. Even if you’ve never studied Greek, you will recognize the word martyr in this ancient root. Biblical testimony — biblical witness — means taking a stand with your life.

The first apostles regularly put their lives on the line for their faith. They boldly proclaimed Christ to the indifferent, the skeptical, and even the hostile. They left their families, sidelined livelihoods, offered resources, and sacrificed physical well-being to testify to their faith in Christ. What gave them the courage to do it?

The answer lies in their hearts. “Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts,” 1 John promises. This witness — this Word — lived in them as part of them. It pulsed through their veins, becoming the lifeblood of their conviction. I believe this heartfelt conviction gave them the strength and stamina to be bold evangelists for Christ.

We have it too. The testimony of God lives in our hearts. But the question is this: are we willing to share it? It seems to me that we 21st-century Christians have become a little lethargic. Our pulse has slowed; our blood has thickened. Perhaps it’s the absence of danger. In this time and place, we can testify to our faith without much threat of bodily harm. But instead of invigorating us, that safety has sedated us.

It is time to wake up, get out there, and make a difference. All around us are lonely and longing people who could use the life we know. But first, we must share it.

Prayer

God of courage, awaken in us the passion for your life. Amen.

By Jennie Churchman, The Upper Room Disciplines 2012, page 151.

Bible Study

Now Choose

Bible Readings: Psalm 1:1-6, 1 John 5:9-13

ZOOM Session

Monday, May 6, 2024, 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
For Zoom Link, send email to [email protected]

IN PERSON Session

Wednesday, May 8, 2024, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Conference Room, McGee Building