Light Walking

Reading: 1 John 1

"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 1:7-8

Examination:

John is writing this letter to some members of the early church. In keeping with his normal strategy, satan had began to work against the plans of God by instituting false teaching. By doing this satan was, and still is, able take the truth of God and twist it just enough to misdirect people. Knowledge puffs up. Experience seasons. John addresses his readers not with beliefs based on the study of information. He hits them square in the face with his first hand experiences of God and Jesus. His punch carries the same force today as it did then.

Application:

In this opening chapter of John's letter I am reminded that I am a child of Light. As such, God expects me to walk in the Light. I see three reminders of how to do that. First, I have to have fellowship with God and Christ. This is more than just reading my Bible, praying, or going to church. Those things are important but they are not the point. The point of God sending Jesus is so that I would enjoy fellowship with Him. I have to carve out some time to just sit still before God and seek fellowship with Him.

At some point in my journey God became more mystical than real, more authoritarian than relational, and more of a joy killer than a joy giver. God gave His Son on my behalf not for me to be a good, self-disciplined man. He gave me His Son so that I might experience complete joy. He is my only source of complete joy. I have to give my heart to Him and allow Him to be the only place from which keen pleasure or delight arises.

Finally, I have to walk in places where His heart treads. Light Walking can not occur in places where there is no light. I can not serve myself and serve God. I can not seek selfish gain and pursue Kingdome purposes. I can not chase God and defile myself. My sins are covered by Grace but my desires have been bought with a price. I need to seek the heart of God and walk after Him with every desire that is within me.

Prayer:

Fellowship with You is a concept that exists beyond human comprehension. Sitting alone in the quietness of my home and just waiting for You to show up feels weird. There are days that the silence is deafening. There are moments when my mind refuses to release the thoughts its processing. There are times when it all just feels like a lifeless sham. Then, there are the moments when You show up.

When You stir in my life it does things in my heart than transport me to another time and place. I am a different me when I am walking in fellowship with You. As You have continued to pursue me I have come to find that there is nothing on this earth capable of giving me the joy I find when You disturb my silence with Your presence.

As best I can from where I am I confess to You today my sole desire as being You. Not money, not peace, not success, not fulfillment; just You. I want to have fellowship with You, I want my joy to be in You, and I want to tread in places where Your heart lives. Help me today to walk in Your Light.