Daily Devotion

Reflection & Voice: Terry

Walk in the Light

Audio

Today is Friday the 30th of May. As we approach another weekend, will you commit yourself afresh to the Lord.

The appointed psalm for today is Psalm 20:

May the Lord answer you on a day of trouble!
May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
² May He send you help from the sanctuary,
And support you from Zion!
³ May He remember all your meal offerings
And accept your burnt offering! Selah

⁴ May He grant you your heart’s desire
And fulfill your whole plan!
⁵ We will sing for joy over your victory,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners.
May the Lord fulfill all your desires.

⁶ Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven
With the saving strength of His right hand.
⁷ Some praise their chariots and some their horses,
But we will praise the name of the Lord, our God.
⁸ They have bowed down and fallen,
But we have risen and stood upright.
⁹ Save, Lord;
May the King answer us on the day we call.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as It was in the beginning, is
now, and shall be forever. Amen.

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The Scripture Reading is taken from 1 John 1:5-10

⁵ This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 
⁶ If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 
⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 
⁸ If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 
⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 
¹⁰ If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Reflection

Today’s reading comes from a familiar passage, often read at the start of the Morning Prayer service. It reminds us of a foundational truth in our relationship with God: to walk with Him is to walk in the light.

In our culture, there is a growing tendency to avoid introspection or confession. Positivity and self-acceptance are often emphasized, sometimes at the expense of honesty about our brokeness. Since God loves us unconditionally, some conclude that we should avoid dwelling on our faults or weaknesses.

Yet Scripture calls us to respond to God as He truly is—not only loving, but also holy. “God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.” If we claim to have fellowship with Him while walking in darkness, we deceive ourselves.

It is precisely because we are secure in His love—demonstrated through Christ’s sacrifice—that we can invite His light into every corner of our lives. His holiness does not drive us away in shame; it calls us into deeper healing and communion.

When we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This is not merely about individual piety. John reminds us that walking in the light enables fellowship with one another. Sin isolates and divides. Truth and repentance restore and unite.

A broken and contrite heart opens the door for God’s light to shine in. It helps us live in koinonia with others.

Psalm 119:11 says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Likewise, 1 John 1:10 warns that if we deny we have sinned, we keep God’s Word away. True transformation begins when we allow Scripture and the Spirit to expose what grieves Him.

Although our shortened Morning Prayer service may not always include a formal confession, will you make it a habit to begin each day with a humble and penitent heart?

Naming specific sins—whether attitudes, actions, or patterns—can bring healing. Sometimes, this honesty even extends to trusted brothers and sisters in Christ. When we share our struggles with others, our fellowship deepens. We are no longer walking in the dark, but in grace and truth.

We end with the prayer of confession:

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, 
we have sinned against you and against our fellow men,
in thought and word and deed
through negligence, through weakness, 
through our own deliberate fault.
We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins. 
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, 
who died for us, forgive us all that is past; 
and grant that we may serve you in newness of life;
to the glory of your name. Amen

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Be blessed by Ryan Flanigan’s version of the Confession:

Almighty God, our heavenly Father
We confess we have sinned
Against you and against our neighbor
In thought and word and deed
Through negligence, through weakness

Through our own deliberate fault
We are sorry, truly sorry
And repent of all our sins
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ who died for us
Forgive us all that is past
And grant that we may serve You in newness of life
For the glory of your name Amen, amen

Link to today’s Morning Prayer