1 John 4:3-7
We saw it, we heard it, and now we’re telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy!
This, in essence, is the message we heard from Christ and are passing on to you: God is light, pure light; there’s not a trace of darkness in him.
If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we’re obviously lying through our teeth—we’re not living what we claim. But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God’s Son, purges all our sin.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Last night, Greg and I took Nathan with us to a high school basketball game. Afterward, we drove through my childhood neighborhood and looked at fantastic light displays in a couple of yards adjacent to my childhood home. Nathan was enthralled…and indeed, the displays were over the top and quite magical. I am pretty sure both yards featured Nativity sets, but I know that one had an almost life-sized presentation. Nathan said, “Those look like real people!”
Being the engineer and creator that he is, Nathan also speculated on the time, details – and even the motor power necessary to propel a sleigh and reindeer into the air and rotate them, as well as the inner workings of other mechanical display pieces. (I was just imagining the electric bill!) I could see Nathan’s “wheels” turning as he envisioned how the homeowner made all this happen. When I read today’s verses, I thought of God and His power as our Creator…and how He is the Light of our world in every way that matters. The intricate details of His “displays” are astounding – and yet, many of us never give them a single thought.
Don’t take God’s Light for granted. More importantly, don’t stumble around in the dark. Truly invest in sharing a life with God through Jesus Christ. Talk the talk…but also walk the walk – and live what you claim. Too many are not only hurting the witness of Jesus Christ by their darkness…they are also missing out on the pure joy that comes from fully trusting and serving Him over their own selfish desires and attitudes.
When I think of God’s Light in my own life, I like to envision the light displays in my childhood neighbors’ yards – times a bazillion! I hope and pray that my “display” has meaning for others and brings glory to God. I pray that those I encounter are enthralled with God’s love, light, and power for themselves – and filled with awe and wonder at how God does what He does! My prayer is that more people would start to truly live what they claim. Others will notice, and God’s glory and Light will be multiplied. And this, my friend, is our true purpose – this Christmas season and always! Alleluia!
©2023 Debbie Robus
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