THE CHILDREN'S PATHWAYS

The shortest Book of the Bible was written to a mother and her children and brought greetings from, it seems, their cousins. However young or old the children were, the apostle John wrote that they were "walking in truth", that is living as true believers.

Firstly they were loved by many for the eternal truth's sake and could rely on the help of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. It is by being loved that we learn to love and then doing the will of the Lord becomes a ready thing.

Perhaps you feel you do not know the Lord, like the boy Samuel whose name was called several times before he answered to Jehovah. Looking back you may see that the Lord Jesus has called to you even more times in the gospel preaching, when reading the Scriptures or by things that have happened. This is because He needs you!

God has given us a conscience. Usually we think this means something that is bad, but it ought always to be a good one. If we confess our sins He forgives them. But walking in truth needs more than this - prayer, and God's word. Rhoda, quite young, was with those who were praying and she heard the voice of Peter, who speaks also to us in his epistles about all things that have to do with life and godliness.

As with older Christians, a believing child walking in truth should soon urgently wish to remember the Lord in the breaking of bread as He desired. This is called the Lord's supper. Have you thought and spoken about this yet?

J.C.Evershed

London