06 25 08 WRITE IT DOWN

My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin…I write to you little children…I write to you fathers…I write to you young men…Therefore, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. And this is the promise that he has promised us…eternal life. (1 John 2 NKJV)

John, the Apostle whom Jesus loved, was constantly reminding those around him to love one another, even into his old age when they had to carry him into the churches to speak. They ask him why and his reply was simply that it was what Jesus taught. John said that if we all would just do that, things would fall into place. Isn’t that what Jesus said as well…love God and love your neighbor? My friends in New Orleans always remind those serving Katrina victims to simply love on people the way Jesus did.

John was a very simple and uncomplicated person and he no doubt remembered the innocent way children came to Christ and how he first believed. All John had to hear from the mouth of John the Baptist was,

“Behold, the Lamb of God” (John 1:35-36 NKJV)

John continued to recall how important those few simple words were and he lived by them, spoke about them, and he wrote about them. It’s funny, but that’s how God gave us His message, love letters if you will. He simply told people to WRITE IT DOWN. Not everyone had paper at the time (it may have been on stone tablets) but God chose a simple way for us to remember things about Him. You see, he knows about our memory. He knows all about our senior moments! Like most of us, I too am not going to do it unless I WRITE IT DOWN. Today, if God were to speak through someone, he may choose e-mail, a blackberry, text messaging, or blogging, but He would still want us to WRITE IT DOWN so we and others would remember! We have to take note of GOD throughout the day.

God told the prophet Jeremiah

“Write it in a book for yourself all the words I have spoken to you.”
(Jeremiah 30:2 NKJV)

Imagine if Moses would have said, “That’s ok Lord, I’ll remember, I don’t have to write these things down.”

The Lord said, “Write these words…” (Exodus 34:27 NKJV)

So here’s our challenge: Are we writing His words that we hear each day? Are we writing out our prayers as people share their needs with us (so we can pray for them)? Are we writing our needs down, so we can lay them out before God? Are we taking notes in Bible study and on Sunday morning? Are writing and highlighting in our Bibles to revisit when we begin to doubt? God still speaks…in circumstances, through people, in simple things, in catastrophes, and in a still small voice. We need to record it somewhere to keep it fresh and to keep us at the level of innocence and acceptance as when we first believed. Keep a note pad and a pen handy (or PDA, or whatever new gadget there is) and WRITE IT DOWN!