Focus

As you quiet yourself for this brief time, be willing to be open to God in whatever way that may take place.

Read

1 John 1:3-10 (NRSV)

We declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; 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. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Reflect

We might think from God’s intimate presence with the ancient people of faith that they found it easy to follow God’s call. We’d be wrong. Over and over, God’s people fell out of line with how God called them to live.

I rarely see people who do wrong because they desire to act out of evil. Usually people want to do right, even if they act wrong. I assume that’s the same for the people of scripture’s day.

Scripture reveals that we deviate from God’s path because we listen to other gods speak to us rather than the one true God. Every god has a path for us to follow and sometimes those paths look right. They aren’t blatantly evil, just deceptive. That’s the thing about the Deceiver. Evil doesn’t have to look evil. It can look good.

Thankfully, there is a God who reveals the true path to us, even when we fail to see it clearly. Through faith in God, we strive to follow that path even if other paths seem to make more sense.

First John reminds us to search out that right path, sorting through all the other options, and settling on God’s simply because God is God. Who else’s path ought we to follow?

Pray

God of truth, open our eyes so that we see the right path to follow. We know that evil will tempt us in every way, showing us paths that look good even though they aren’t. Bless us with strength and courage to walk your path so that we may show others the beauty of your way. Thank you, Lord, for your grace when we fail, and your love to allow us another chance to get it right. In your Son’s name we pray. Amen.

Go with God.