Light or dark? I’m not referring to the type of turkey meat you want on your holiday plate! (If that seems a little odd for an introduction, remember I’m writing this on Thanksgiving to be published and distributed to my subscribers the day after — we’ll probably all be in a food coma by then!) We do have a choice on whether we choose the light or the darkness. Some people would like to think you can flip flop back and forth. God knows our hearts. Where do we belong?
Of course, God wants us all to be with him in the light. There is no darkness in him at all. But there is plenty of darkness when we look around. Our society is crawling with distractions and opportunities to step out of the light. Sometimes it seems to me that the light is shrinking. It’s harder to find the light than ever before. But God is where he has always been. Everywhere. Waiting for us. Sometimes he’s just harder to see because of all the noise and confusion.
I think of it as if we all have a homing device planted in our hearts. God wanted to make sure we could find our way to him. Some people ignore those impulses to be in the light. Some people don’t recognize what it is and are confused by the feeling of being empty or not complete. Then there are others who have always been in the light and don’t have any idea what that empty, lost feeling even feels like.
John’s words are pretty abrupt and totally speak the truth. He said, “we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.” I think this speaks to those who try and flip flop back and forth. On one hand, we try to satisfy our human desires with unholy things. Then, we show up to church on Sunday and put on a smile and go through the motions. How do we practice the truth?
There is so much more to life than this. I love how John finishes this thought when he says, “But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.” We can experience fellowship with other believers and be cleansed from our sins. Now, that sounds pretty cool. I’m always jazzed when I’m around other Christ-followers. There is something about the energy we put off when we’re together.
So, light or dark? I’ve experienced both. I much prefer the light. I love the promise of eternity with Jesus. I am forever grateful that my sins have been cleansed. And I love how I feel whole and complete. It’s that whole “joy” thing that takes over. Even if it’s only a momentary reminder in the midst of a frantic day, there is peace and joy from being in the light.
I want to live in the light and practice the truth, how about you?
Let’s pray. Lord, you are Light and represent everything that is good and perfect. Thank you for loving me and wanting me to be in the light with you. I am so thankful that you didn’t leave me in the miry pit of my struggles. Continue to groom me each day into the person you want me to be. Help me to not resist how you are changing me from the inside out. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
