February 11th - Reflection

1 John 2:7 -17 (NRSV)
Old and new commandments

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.
I am writing to you, little children,
because your sins are forgiven on account of his name.
I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young people,
because you have conquered the evil one.
I write to you, children,
because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young people,
because you are strong
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world; for all that is in the world the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches comes not from the Father but from the world. And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever.

Reflection
John writes about love. "Do not love the world or the things in the world."  But, what about, "For God so loved the world...?" God's love is a saving love for all people. The love that John mentions is a selfish love for one person...you or I. We are not to love the world in such a way that we are absorbed into the things or interests of this world. We are to love this world for the lives of those God has placed with us in our relationship with God and one another. God loved this world in order to save us. God loved his creation because it was good.

Our relationship with God and one another is absorbed into each other. God is in us and we are in God, fathers, young people, children, and all of God's people. We were absorbed into the life of Jesus through his life, death and resurrection for our sin. Jesus was absorbed into our life when we fell at the foot of the cross and believed.

In this way, with Jesus, we passed through the darkness of the tomb to the light of a new life in Christ. In this new life we are to replace our hate with love. In this new life we are to go to our neighbor, our family and confess our sin and reunite in the light of Christ. In this new life we are to live in the love and light of Christ. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, teach me the love you have for this world. Teach me how to live this love and act out this love. Where I need to seek forgiveness, may I do just that. Where I need to repent, may I do just that. Show me when to encourage. Show me when to act. Show me how to blend this love you have shown into my life with those you give to me day by day. --- Amen