March to His Tune

 

Canada Day is celebrated on 1st July.  This year (2023), Canada turned 156 years old.  There were parades, fireworks and marching bands among other celebrations to excite the citizens.

One of my friends sent me a short clip of one marching band tootling, of course, the national anthem, "O Canada".  It stirred the heart.

It is not an easy feat, I should think, to play ones' instrument, keeping the beat, and marching in-step simultaneously without misstep.  Lots of practice needed.  If there is misstep the experienced marcher quickly re-aligns themself, and marches on, playing to beat the band.

'In-step' is the key word.  Scripture asks us to "keep in step", or "to be led by the Spirit" (Galatians 5:16-18; see also Romans 8).  I visualize myself marching alongside the Holy Spirit, as if in a marching band.  Now I'm not very co-ordinated, so there are many mis-steps.  However, when we read 2nd and 3rd John, we see the encouragement to show our faith by obedience to God's commands.  We can march to the 'tune' of God's Word by obeying it as the Holy Spirit teaches us.  This shows our faith in action.

The book of James admonishes to show our faith by our works.  First John motivates us to show our faith by loving our brothers and sisters-in-Christ.  A further step in 2nd John, is to demonstrate our faith by obeying God's commands.

Our Helper is the Holy Spirit.  The early Christians were excellent at keeping in step with the Holy Spirit.  We can learn from them.  Read through the book of Acts for oodles of examples of how the Holy Spirit led the believers and how the believers 'kept in step'.  They were able to do many mighty acts while proclaiming the salvation message through Jesus.

Third John gives us another great example in the form of Gaius.  After reading 3rd John, one can deduce Gaius to be a man of truth, a godly man and a serious spiritual leader with a heart for hospitaltity, caring for brothers-in-Christ of likemind who also wished to speak the truth of the gospel and who put Jesus first.

Diotrephes had been opposed to these brothers and wouldn't allow them into the assembly of believers.  He would rather malign the truth than to listen to truth these visiting men of God spoke.  He did not wish to show brotherly love as his faith had gotten cast aside opting to bring himself praise.

By contrast, Gaius had faith and wished to show it by obeying God's Word, keeping the truth of God's Word and showing the love of God to the visiting brothers.  He wished to show his faith by his actions, which included loving these brothers by offering hospitality, thereby validating their message as truth.

The last sentence of 3 John, from verse 15 reads,

"Greet the friends, each by name."

I really like that.  It suggests a close bond among the brothers and sisters-in-Christ, close enough to know each others' names.  It wasn't a polite smile and "Hi" and "Bye, see ya next week".  No, it was a caring enough to stop and converse and speak each others' names.  They were not just "siblings-in-Christ" but also 'friends'.

A long time ago I heard one preacher say that when we even know the names of our church members' pets, then, ah, we have that bond that shows, not just the agape love of Christ between believers but there is also 'philo' love - friends.

To me, this is full circle, loving your brethren so that we can demonstsrate God's love in action and so authenticate the faith in Christ we purport to have.  This is keeping in step and being led by the Holy Spirit of God.

Let's march to His tune and celebrate.

                                                      ~ERC  July 2023~

Based on 2nd and 3rd John (NIV).

Sing, The Love of God is Greater Far, along with the 'bibleguy' and choir.

Photo and Video Credits to friend LMR.