1 John 1:3-7 MSG We saw it, we heard it, and now we’re telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy! 5 This, in essence, is the message we heard from Christ and are passing on to you: God is light, pure light; there’s not a trace of darkness in him. 6-7 If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we’re obviously lying through our teeth—we’re not living what we claim. But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God’s Son, purges all our sin.
Observation
Shouldn’t we be full of joy when we are full of God, basking in the love and grace of God, adopted by Him as His own? So often we forget to celebrate our exalted place in Him and are distracted and deceived by the “benefits” offered by the world around us, which then become idols we worship in place of God.
The Old Testament prophets predicted God executing judgment on nations that were arrogant, comfortable, faithless – “You trusted in thick walls and big money, yes? But it won’t help you now.” (Jeremiah 48) That is one of the hazards of resting in or getting comfortable believing blessing will continue indefinitely – taking for granted what God provides – thinking that God is soft and has forgotten how to administer tough love for the sake of salvation or redemption.
When we forget the source of our blessing and think that we have somehow earned our status in the throne room, God will love us enough to allow us to fall or wander into trouble, trial or persecution so we recognize where we will end up on our own without His protection, grace, provision, power. Doing what we know to be right in order to be blessed is not the best but will do. The best is to return God’s love freely and abundantly by trusting Him absolutely, being like Him by loving the unlovely and lovely alike, by letting Him be in charge of our lives – whether pleasure or pain, whether comfortable or uncomfortable, whether easy or hard – and letting Him weigh the cost to us according to His plan, purpose and will.
Impact on Me
To me, the love God wants returned to Him is one of obedience rooted in faith – saying yes before He asks, without requiring explanation, knowing that He is faithful, trustworthy, and loving. So, in this I celebrate that I am chosen, adopted, redeemed, and sealed – His treasure. I rejoice that my life is hid with Christ in God – what a thought! How safe is that? Should I hide this treasure, this joy, this amazing free gift or put it all on display? If God is light, should I hide Him under a bushel as though I were ashamed or let Him shine so that others may also come out of the same darkness I did? Shouldn’t I share this hope so that others can embrace this treasure, too? How do I value this light and life if I don’t share it?
Prayer
Lord, I do not want to stand before You on That Day and hear, “You got too comfortable and took Me for granted,” or “You did not value the treasure of Me enough to ache for others to know Me, too,” or “You were ashamed of Me.” I want to hear You say that I gave You joy in Your heart through my words and actions, that many came to know You because they met You in me, and that I was a good, faithful servant who followed through gladly on Your requests of me. I want to hear that You are pleased with the way I loved and cared for both the Body of Christ and those who did not know You. I want the fragrance of my life and worship to fill the house so that everyone will be drawn to the aroma and find Christ. Lord, I want to come to You with nothing left – because I withheld nothing from You, because I was constantly refilled by Your Spirit, because I allowed Your strength to flow through my weakness. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Make it so.
Pressing On In His Footsteps 
flowing, constantly refreshing love is what we need to be the people Father desires is to be in this often dark and dismal world. There is no substitute for a deepening relationship with Father. We can not do this on our own. We are His vessels, not the source. As we pour ourselves out Father is faithful to refill.
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