October 13, 2026 | Be Connected
Walking in the Light
Scripture: 1 John 1:5-10(NIV)
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 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, purifies us from all sin.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
Devotional
Without light, all life on earth would perish. Our sun stimulates so many processes that all life is dependent on it. Without light, photosynthesis would cease and kill most plant life. Evaporation would diminish, and the water cycle would be greatly interrupted. Without healthy plants, animal survival would quickly become imperiled.
Just as the sun sustains the physical world, God is the light of the universe. Without Him, life is not possible. He sent His son to help insure our eternal life. Light plays such a pivotal role that it, after the heavens and the earth, was the first thing that God created. Genesis 1:3-4 says, “And God said, “’Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.”
Today’s verses remind us that God and His Son, Jesus, are the lights of the world. With them, everything is exposed and made well. Without them, darkness reigns, and all are lost. God will once again separate light from darkness, with the light being those who have chosen to follow Christ.
However, today’s Scripture also offers a stern admonishment for those following false doctrine. Verse 6 reminds us that claiming fellowship with Him cannot be followed by walking in darkness. Walking in darkness means our fellowship with Him is a lie. Verse 8 tells us that denying we have sinned causes deception and keeps us from living in the light. Finally, verse 10 warns us that saying we have not sinned makes God into a liar and turns light into darkness.
Whenever I hear about Jesus being the light of the world, I am immediately drawn to our singing of “Silent Night” as a congregation on Christmas Eve. As we sing the song, we hold an unlit candle. A neighbor with an illuminated candle lights ours, and we in turn, light the candle for the person standing on our other side. Verses 3 and 4 of the song in The United Methodist Hymnal specifically make reference to the light:
Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love's pure light;
radiant beams from thy holy face with the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.
Silent night, holy night, wondrous star, lend thy light!
with the angels let us sing, Alleluia to our King;
Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born!
Are you living in the light? What can you do to step out of the darkness?
