Focus

As you quiet yourself for this brief time, be willing to be open to God in whatever way that may take place.

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Read

1 John 2:7-11 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word that you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new commandment that is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. Whoever says, “I am in the light,” while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates another believer is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought on blindness.

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Reflect

Dear Friends… was one of John’s favorite and most used phrases in his writings. He used this phrase ten times in two of his letters in the New Testament. In seminary I learned that, when reading the Bible, look for the repeated words and phrases in order to better see the author’s intent. John didn’t just write Dear Friends just to be writing it; he really meant it.

In today’s text in 1 John, the disciple reminds us that Jesus gave us a new commandment – to love one another as He loved us, and our neighbor as we love ourselves. Who is our neighbor? Not just the family next door or across the street. Our neighbor is everyone.

How can we love our neighbor? I think we could start by saying to them: “Dear Friend, may I tell you about a man who lived over 2000 years ago, Who loved you so much that He gave His life for you….?”

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Pray

Almighty God, We bask in Thy presence, in Thy light and we pray that as we are instruments of that truth, of that light, that it may shine for all the world to see, spreading Your glory, Your truth. Spreading Your love. Through Jesus, the true Light we pray. Amen.

Go with God!