S)" 5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."
1 John 1:5-7 (NASB)
O) People don't usually like to acknowledge absolutes. That first verse (5) is the one that really stood out to me this morning. God is absolutely good, pure, holy, and true; in Him there is no evil, corruption, wickedness, or lies. I think a lot of people struggle with this because humans are not this way. As good as we ever are, we still struggle with the negative side of ourselves. Then, it's difficult to accept that God is Light and yet somehow He can accept us. Then, in steps Jesus. God is a just ruler, but He also provides perfect mercy through the sacrifice of His own Son. In that, we are given righteousness and are able to walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light.
A) I cannot pretend, though. If there is darkness in me, then I am not truly walking in His Light. Truth has to be practiced, and as simple as it sounds, that can quite the task in and of itself. I cannot speak lies, however small, and I cannot live a lie either, no matter what kind of pain, embarassment, or shame I might feel from it. In the Light, there simply cannot be any darkness. The only way for me to harbor darkness is to not walk completely in the Light, and that means that I am not truly in the Light at all then. It's an all-or-nothing scenario. But, by confessing my sins, I am forgiven, and by walking in the Light, any darkness is banished from me.
P) Father, thank You for being pure. I cannot imagine trying to serve You if You were inconsistent or unreliable in the least. I can completely trust in Your forgiveness, promises, and guidance because I know that there is simply NO darkness in You, LORD. Holy Spirit, continue to lead me in light. I need to abide in Him as much as I ever can, and I simply cannot afford to harbor any darkness in myself. Help me to deny lies and embrace truth; let me practice truth, so that it is my first instinct in all things. Give me boldness and courage to confess every sin that rears its ugliness in me, so that the truth, and His Light, can reign supreme and abolish all darkness in me, in Jesus' name. Amen.
A) I cannot pretend, though. If there is darkness in me, then I am not truly walking in His Light. Truth has to be practiced, and as simple as it sounds, that can quite the task in and of itself. I cannot speak lies, however small, and I cannot live a lie either, no matter what kind of pain, embarassment, or shame I might feel from it. In the Light, there simply cannot be any darkness. The only way for me to harbor darkness is to not walk completely in the Light, and that means that I am not truly in the Light at all then. It's an all-or-nothing scenario. But, by confessing my sins, I am forgiven, and by walking in the Light, any darkness is banished from me.
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