If we say, “We have fellowship with Him,” yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:6-7 HCSB
Years ago while on a camping trip with a friend, we decided to take a hike in the woods of a state park we were visiting. The hike took longer than expected and it started getting dark. We walked faster, but the sun was quickly going down. We did not have any flashlights, food, or jackets. We knew we needed to get out of the woods before it got dark so we walked even faster. As it got darker and darker we began to stumble on rocks and roots that we could not see. Finally, we reached the road but then we had a couple miles to hike back to our car. Had we not made it out of the woods before it was completely dark, we would have had to spend the night in the woods.
We went from walking in the light to walking in the darkness. John continues to use the metaphor of light and darkness in these verses. Christianity is similar to a hike – it is a journey. When we walk in the light (a life controlled by the Holy Spirit), we have fellowship with God. But when we walk in darkness (a life controlled by sin), we break our relationship with God and our fellowship with other believers.
Challenge: Are you stumbling in the darkness of sin or are you walking in the light of Jesus Christ? Ask God to help you walk in the light and away from the darkness of sin.