September Memory Verse

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. – 1 John 1:7

The First Epistle of John is one of five New Testament books written by the Apostle John; the others are the Gospel of John, 2 John, 3 John, and the book of Revelation. In this first of his three letters to congregations of believers, he emphasizes the fellowship which stands against false teachings and holds firm in the faith. This fellowship is both with believers and with God, through both the Father and through Christ.

Jesus is the Light. “Walking in the light” means walking as He would walk, to the best of our ability. We will never be perfect, but the blood of Jesus purifies us so we can walk in this world reflecting God’s glory. In other words, talk is cheap; we must walk the talk, in our life and through our conduct. When believers walk in the light of Christ, we have community and friendship with one another and experience forgiveness. We choose to not walk in darkness, and we cling to the truth—led by wisdom, righteousness, and love from God’s Word.

With a global pandemic, an economic meltdown, and a divided nation, this year has been one of the most challenging ones in recent history. We are in uncertain times and that can feel scary. It is easy to think of our current circumstances as dark or a bit hopeless and lose sight of our walk with Christ. But as John coached believers then, NOW is the time to walk in the light—to follow Christ with intentionality and to look for opportunities to connect in fellowship. We never know which of our brothers and sisters might need a light…our light…our example. We don’t know if or how our neighbor is struggling; our light may be just what they need to accelerate their journey with Christ, to help them feel the comfort we feel as believers.

We still have a pandemic and a tumultuous election to get through in 2020. Life moves quickly. Now is the time to shine our light brightly!

by Elder Jeff Owens