Monday Motivation: God is Light

1 John 1:7, “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 our sin.”

God is light. In Him, there is no  darkness. When we think of light in terms of God, we think of holiness, purity, truth. When we think of darkness, we think of falsehood, sin, or wrongdoing. These two are stark opposites. Where there is light, there can not be darkness. Where there is darkness, there can not be light. 

So, if we are walking in the light, as He [God] is the light, then we have fellowship with one another. When it says here that we have fellowship with one another, with other believers,  it is because of the blood of Jesus his Son. It is because we have asked Jesus to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Jesus’ blood continually cleanses us, because we continually step into sin. His blood covers all our sins and allows us to be characterized by His holiness. Our fellowship with other believers should encourage our faith and walk with the Lord.

Walk in the light. Walk in His truth. In your routine, walk in the light. While serving others, walk in the light. When you suffer, walk in the light. 

ACTION STEP with your kids: Read 1 John 1:7 with your kids. List ways that God is holy. Take an opportunity with your kids who have asked Jesus into their hearts to take this opportunity to confess their sins and ask the Lord to help them walk in the light. Encourage them to see their right choices as living in the light and not darkness. 

Monday Motivations: Take My Life & Let it Be

“Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.

Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.”

Do your days or weeks ever feel like you need a reset? Feel you need to remind yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing? Let this hymn be that reset for you. Sing the words and lift them to the Lord in worship. Offer up your life, your hands and feet, your voice, your money, your will and your love…. ever , only, all for Thee. 

ACTION STEP with your kids: Play this hymn in a common area in your home. When you have an opportunity, pick one of the verses to draw out and talk with your kids about how you can offer up ourselves to the Lord. Pray and ask the Lord to help your life be an act of worship to our Lord, no matter what we are doing. 

Monday Motivation: How Long Oh Lord?

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me. Psalm 13: 1-6

Can you relate to David’s words here? How long, O Lord? How long will our world be so divided? How long will our nation have so much unrest? How long will my heart ache for those that have been lost? How long will my child be sick? How long will my spouse treat me so unkindly? How long will I feel alone? How long will someone I care for reject you?

These are all good, hard questions that many of us have taken to the Lord at some time throughout our lives. Our hearts can mislead us and can tempt  us to believe that our God is cruel, but that is the farthest thing from truth. The Bible tells us countless times that all trials, suffering, and hardship are for our good and God’s glory. 

Waiting on the Lord’s perfect, all-knowing timing is always worthwhile. It’s not easy in our own strength to lean in to the growing pains of waiting, but we are not called to do it in our own strength. Call on the Lord to show Himself to you in the waiting, longing, and unknowing. 

His ways are not our ways. Trust in His steadfast love. Rejoice in your salvation. Sing to the Lord. Thank Him for all the good, thoughtful gifts he has given to you. Not focusing on the answers you don’t have. 

Our weakness is often a reminder from the Lord to stop trying to be in control. We may never know how our response to suffering points another to Jesus. May we always point others to the one who can comfort, heal, and change our hearts.


ACTION STEPS with your kids: Read Psalm 13 with your kids. Ask them what things are hard for them right now? Maybe what’s hard to understand about our world, a relationship, or a decision you made that has impacted them. Pray together asking the Lord to give them a desire to know and trust the word of God above anything else. Pray for their hearts to trust in the Lord’s steadfast love and faithfulness. Thank the Lord for His many good gifts.