Beloved:
We receive from him whatever we ask,
because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
And his commandment is this:
we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another just as he commanded us.
Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,
and the way we know that he remains in us
is from the Spirit whom he gave us.

What wonderful and reassuring words we hear from John. So simple. So pure. Just two easy steps to follow. So then why do we constantly fret about our relationship with God? Why do we continually beat ourselves down and feel we are not worthy of God’s love and God’s forgiveness?

Sure we sin. We were born sinners and we will die sinners. But that doesn’t mean that we as Christians and as believers should ever lose sight of or forget John’s powerful, hope filled words.

When I am greeted by someone and asked, “How are you?” I inevitably reply, “Never Better!” Some people look at me at me with a bit of apprehension. “Really? Never Better? Did you just win the lottery?” But why shouldn’t I answer their question like this and why shouldn’t you? For if John’s words are echoing in our heads, then we know that the hand of God is resting on our shoulder and God’s love and forgiveness is a constant present in our lives. Truly, I ask you, “What could be better than that?”