“Tapping into the source”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Wednesday, December 27, 2023
1 John 1:1-10 (Forward, p. 59) CEV p. 1286
The apostle John here begins by mentioning something that he himself has experienced. Accordingly, he knows, he is thoroughly convinced, that it is for real. It is the source of life and light and joy. And, what is that source? It is none other than the Word, Jesus Christ.
However, John is most emphatic that there is something that gets in the way of our receiving those these precious commodities, life and light and joy. It is sin, choosing consciously and deliberately ‘to live in the dark’. The Christian pastor and author, Warren W. Wiersbe, tells a very telling story in his little book on 1 John, Be Real, to illustrate just how misleading—misleading in a very subtle way—and deadly, sin can be. A renowned performer, billed as ‘the Human Fly”, fell to his death as he climbed up the pretty well sheer side of a skyscraper. And, what was the cause of his fall? (After all, he had scaled similar buildings many times previously, all without any mishap). It was because his handhold, which ‘appeared’ to be sturdy and ‘reliable’, was actually covered with a mass of cobwebs. What gave the appearance of being solid was not solid at all. And, of like quality, are the allures and promises of sin: they can ‘appear’ to be good, or even seem good at the onset, but in reality are never very good for us.
Having said such things about sin, and its evil and detrimental effects in our lives, John then ‘lowers the boom’. He tells us plainly, not just once, but several times, that all of us have sinned. Yes, no matter who we are or how good or holy we might appear to be, we have still sinned. In fact, he says that if we deny this to be a fact, we are only deceiving ourselves. Furthermore, it means that we are treating God as a liar because we refuse to accept His message.
So, this seems like unmitigated bad news, given that sin blocks out all these good things that God would have us receive. But herein there is also some fabulous good news. If we confess our sins, admit to them before God, He can always be trusted to forgive our sins. This is because Jesus, in His death, has taken away our sins. His blood washes away all our sins. And so, all that God promises can, in reality, be ours after all. We can indeed tap into that source of all good things, Jesus Christ, and what wonderfully good news that is. Thanks be to God.
Forward notes: “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 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” (verses 6-7).
“I am thinking of a difficult time in my life, many years ago. I lived on my own and enjoyed my job. I had friends who challenged my mind in ways I appreciated. But I also spent time with people who were not positive forces in my life, nor was I in theirs. I was doing work, going places, smiling at people. But inside, I was lonely and depressed. I wanted to walk with God, but my vision was dimmed.
“I told myself I was in fellowship with God, when in actuality I was stumbling in the shadows. I began to find the light when I sought help for my depression. God worked in me through a skilled therapist. I learned to distinguish positive people and activities from negative ones. I learned to walk toward the light.”
Moving Forward: “Who has helped you walk toward the light of Christ? Who needs your help to do the same?”