August 19th, 20

 Shadow-free living

Today’s readings are Jeremiah 48 - 49, Psalm 67 and I John 1.  We are reading from the New Living Translation.

It’s a shadow-free zone – no shadows, only light.  What he has done for us and what he offers us is a life out of the shadows, a life forgiven and free.  What he offers us is utter confidence that there is nothing lurking, nothing in the corner ready to shift or change, no judgement  in the shadows, ready to pounce.  The light of God’s love covers you, shadow free, and free of charge. You don’t have to earn it or perform for it.  You simply need to believe it and trust him for it.

God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.  (I Jn 1:5 NLT)

With God, there are no shadows, only light.  This light and love of God is as real as it gets. John has no stronger way of saying it than to tell you that God came in the flesh. He’s telling us: I touched him, I spoke to me, he spoke to me.

….we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. (I Jn 1:1 NLT)

He spoke words of life, and that life was pure light.  There were no shadows of judgement or rejection.  And we can live in that light, without fear – even though we have sin, even though there are shadows lurking within us, even though we are broken.  We can still come into his light, confess our sins, receive forgiveness and healing.  The shadows need not kill us, because his light cleanses and purifies us.  He can do all of this because he took upon himself, on the cross, all the shadows of the world, all the darkness, hatred, fear, and abuse.  He took the things that lurk within us and the things that never should have happened.  He absorbed it all to make room for his light to shine, in our lives and in his coming kingdom – shadow free!

Learn to live more of each day, shadow-free.  Come live in the light and find freedom and forgiveness.  Shadow free living means living within the light of his love.

You are loved!