Read 1 John 1:1-10

“God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all...” (1 John 1:5)

The entirety of the Bible hinges on the truth of this statement like a hefty door hung upon a sturdy doorpost. The heavier the door, the stronger the post needed to support it. And this, my friends, is indeed a worthy post upon which to hang the Bible: the truth that God is light!

Without this truth, truth itself would be difficult to see, if not altogether impossible. Imagine trying to navigate a darkened room; without light, you stumble and falter. But because God is light, all the matters of God’s Word must be light as well.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

God is light, and therefore, His Word is light! What a simple truth to carry with you today! But there’s more from this well of truth for us to drink from.

Let’s take a closer look at John’s words, shall we? You’ll notice that John actually repeats himself on this truth about God. He states the same thing about God twice, back to back, but in different ways. The first, of course, is who God is. He is light! And the second, who God is not. God is not darkness. In Him there is not even the slightest shade of a shadow.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” (James 1:17)

So, what do we call this? A characteristic of God? An attribute of God? An act of God? No. This does not satisfy what John is trying to teach us. This does not go far enough. Light is not something God wears like a garment that can be taken off or set aside; it is woven into the very fabric of His being. Light is who God is, and darkness is who God is not. God has always been light, will always be light, and can never not be light, do you see? He cannot change. Thus, light is not simply an attribute of God; it is the essence of God. It’s His very nature, like the sun’s warmth that cannot be separated from its brilliance.

This, of course, has vast theological implications that could make this devotion endless. So, allow me to extract just one of a million principles we could pull from this truth.

Beloved, because God is light, you can and must trust God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength. You may glimpse His light in the reflections of others who minister to you, but God alone is the source where truth, goodness, joy, grace, mercy, and peace (along with a million other good gifts) shine like the sun breaking through the clouds!

Have you fully illuminated your life with God? Or do you place your trust elsewhere in shadowy things? Are you walking with the radiance of God’s light surrounding you? Or do you hide in the shade of guilt like Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden?

Beloved, step out into the Light, and let it wash over you and purify you. If you do, you will see again. In God’s light your life will take on greater clarity than ever before! The fog will lift and in His presence, even today, will reveal the vibrant colors of a new dawn!

“For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light, we see light.” (Psalm 36:9)