Walk in the light

 ApriL  4

Read 1 John 1:5-10 and reflect on the passage.

Admitting I am wrong—it’s no fun. In fact, it’s just plain painful.

The great thinkers of this world understand the universality of this truth, and so summoning all their worldly wisdom they give us an out. It’s called moral relativism, a philosophy that empowers the individual to decide for himself what is wrong or right. There are no absolutes; it’s all a matter of personal opinion. What wonderful work of human ingenuity! Why, with this philosophy two people can take opposite positions on any moral question and no one has to admit being wrong!

Sound too good to be true? The wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight (1 Corinthians 3:19).

Today’s passage declares us all sinners. I haven’t met a Christian yet who claimed to be without sin, yet I’ve witnessed many conversations where Christians took opposite positions on a moral question and neither admitted to being wrong.

So, is there a definitive wrong and right? A darkness and a light? 1 John says there is, and all of Scripture defines it (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Questions

1. Is there a question of darkness and light about which the Spirit convicts you?

2. What area of your life stands unexposed to the light?

Prayer

Holy God, wherever there is darkness in my life, convict me so that I may confess, receive Your mercy, and walk in Your perfect light.

—Star Bradley

Done-broke people in a flat-busted world

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9

There's something about country music that keeps our toes a-tappin' to tales of lives a-broken. The song titles themselves tell the stories ...

You Done Tore Out My Heart And Stomped That Sucker Flat

She's Actin' Single And I'm Drinkin' Doubles

I Don't Know Whether to Kill Myself or Go Bowling

If the Phone Don't Ring, You'll Know It's Me

Don't Come Home A-drinkin' (With Lovin' on Your Mind)

She Got the Gold Mine and I Got the Shaft

You Can Lock Me Up in Jail and Throw Away the Key, But You Can't Keep My Face From Breaking Out

I'm the Only Hell Mama Ever Raised

Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart

Billy Broke My Heart At Walgreens and I Cried All the Way to Sears

We all git it, don't we?  It's a flat-bused world full of done-broke people.  And they're confessin' even as they're a-singin'.

When people look for Jesus, they see us.  While they usually find light and hope, they sometimes see the kind of self-righteousness, legalism and hypocrisy that drew the sharpest rebukes from Jesus.  Count on Nashville to sing about that, too!.

Would Jesus Wear A Rolex (On His Television Show)

Jesus Loves Me But He Can't Stand You

When people look to us for light but find darkness, they turn away.  This just cannot be. John writes, "If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth (1 John 1:6)."  Translation: If we're a-preachin' the truth, we can't be livin' a lie.

Confessin' trumps denyin' at the poker table of life.  And repentin' is even better yet.

[Click here to see the daily reading in 1 John 1:5 - 2:6.]