But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John 20:31

John is writing to me, to all who will read his letter.  He makes it clear that the purpose of his writings is that we may believe that Jesus is the Messiah and that by believing you may have life in his name.

I note the progress of belief, first I believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and secondly believe that through his name I have life!  It could not be more simple, nor less difficult.  We are called to simply believe in Jesus and believe that in him we have life.  By doing so we declare that there is no other way.  Our entire hope is in Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God.  This excludes the many voices that deny that truth.

The hardest part is to believe.  It looks easy at first but becomes extremely difficult when we face its meaning.  But that is the only door to the new life.  Lord, make me a believer!