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Read: 1 John 1:3-4
Listen: 1 John 1

We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete. 1 John 1:3-4

After writing about the reliability of the Christian faith, the Apostle John turns to the subject of fellowship. He says the point is not just believing the truth; it’s about relationships. Relationship first with God and then with other believers. He says it’s not just about believing the right stuff and avoiding hell; it’s ultimately about experiencing God in the context of the church.

We can have this fellowship because God is personal. God speaks, guides, provides, comforts and challenges us through His Word, the Bible. By reading the Bible, the living and active Word of God, we hear his voice. Also, if we have followed Jesus for some time, it is likely we have many examples of the reality of Jesus in our lives. Both of these can result in “complete joy.” Complete joy is the type of joy we continually desire. It is a joy that persists through pain and suffering. A joy not rooted in what’s going on outside but in what is real inside of us.

TODAY: Invite God to be real in your life. Ask him for help as you read the Bible, with a decision you need to make or for a friend to encourage you. If you’re a long-time believer, set aside time to remember the ways God made himself real to you in the past. Then, ask him to move again. After you do, thank him for his goodness and faithfulness.