But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
The older I get, the more I appreciate light. This is especially true when it comes to driving at night (and rainy nights are the absolute worst). Light is a great blessing for us, whether natural or man-made. Even in familiar places, light is essential. Case in point: Stacy and I have lived in our house for over 25 years (the only house we have ever owned. As a result, I am very familiar with all the nooks, crannies, and paths here and there. This very morning (it is Tuesday as I write this), I was making my way from the bed to the shower, a path I have taken thousands of times in complete darkness. Yet this morning I turned a few feet early and ran chest first into my dresser. Had there been light, this likely would not have happened.
Our world is a dark, dark place. In fact, a cursory reading of scripture and history shows that it has always been a dark, dark place. John tells us in his gospel that when Jesus came into the world, he came as the light. He not only exposed the evil and wrong-headed ways of humankind, but also made clear the paths of righteousness and holiness for those who follow him. As Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:13, “But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible.” Jesus brought clarity about the condition of the world, and he brought the means by which to live as light. When we walk with him, we are cleansed from all of our sin, and we enjoy fellowship with one another through him. When we walk with him, we show ourselves to be children of light.
–Ricky