LIVING IN THE LIGHT

Ashley Issler, Bearspaw Children's Pastor

At this time of year in our northern hemisphere we are very aware of darkness. When we leave for work or school the sun still hasn’t started rising. Depending when we drive home, it might already be dark again. I was reminded on the weekend how wonderful the sunlight is on a cold day. It can be minus a zillion, but at 2 p.m. the sun can shine through a window and heat up a house.

John uses the imagery of light vs dark throughout 1 John. He uses light to describe some of the truths about God’s followers and darkness to describe what life is like without Christ. What do those who live in the light look like? What do those who live in darkness look like? I found myself making a chart of some of the examples John listed. Here are a few:

"Whoever says he is in the light but hates his brother is still in darkness. But whoever loves his brother is in the light. And there will be no reason to sin because of him. Whoever hates his brother is not in the light but lives in darkness. He does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes." 1 John 2:9-11

How wonderful it is to live in the light. God’s Spirit lives in us. But do you see how much emphasis is placed on loving others? Those who live in light, love each other. Those who don’t love each other are not living in the light. Because to live in the light is to know the One who is love and to be loved by Him.

"Dear friends, let us love each other, because love comes from God. Those who love are God’s children and they know God."1 John 4:7

Do we truly know how much God loves his children? This is no little thing, it is God’s very heart. How can we surround ourselves with that truth? How can we live into the light that God has invited us to?

By remembering, looking back at our lives and remembering the answered prayers, the moments when He spoke to us, the challenging seasons He carried us through.

Hearing. The bible is filled with truth about God’s love. We can read it, listen to it, and ask God to open our eyes to what His love looks like. (My personal favorite is Psalm 139)

Practicing. We can ask God to point us to someone who could use a gesture of love this week. It could be an act of reconciliation and forgiveness, it could be going out of our way to take care of a need, it could be saying “God loves you, and I love you too” with our actions.

Let's proclaim God’s love this week. Let’s say it out loud, sing it and show it with our actions because we live in the light.

"We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. We also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters." (1 John 3:16)