Fellowship | 1 John 1:1-5 Meditations

1 John 1:1-5

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

Research papers. More research papers. A ten-page research paper. Lots of reading. Test after test after test. Final exams. And that's just for school! Add in the Bible Bee, family, and other activities and I think that's a pretty full week.

In the middle of it, I came to meditate on this passage - 1 John 1:1-5. One of the things that stood out to me is the amazing, incredible, beautiful picture of the reality of fellowship with God. At the time I was meditating on it, however, I just didn't grasp how I could apply to my daily life. Later that day, however, I was reading a book and was faced with a question along the lines of "What do you do when life's road gets bumpy?" "Go to God and pray, of course!" I thought, giving the automatic Sunday-school-type answer. But then reality hit me. Life's road did seem a little bumpy with the amount of things on my plate this week. But did I go to God? Did I go to Him for fellowship? I was ashamed to admit that no, I didn't intentionally seek out fellowship with the Word of Life, especially when I needed it most.

Final exams still continued to make me nervous, yes, and research papers delighted in exerting extra pressure to my schedule. However, now I knew where to go. Time and time again, He would remind me to have fellowship. But it was more than a reminder, an order, a command. It was a beckoning, a warm invitation into His presence. To abide in Him. And when I did, I was assured that He supplies all my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Sure enough, He fulfilled His promises. Assignments are done, papers are submitted, and exams are taken. All I’d been worrying about – schedules, grades, internet availability – He took care of it all. 

It's like what the song says...

Oh, what peace we often forfeit

Oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer

When I had fellowshipped with Him, He assured me that He would take care of it all. How often do I forfeit such a privilege, though? 

May we always walk in fellowship with Him!



*Disclaimer to all you BB people: Those meditations probably (hopefully!) will be more focused on the application side of things rather than the "real", hard-core type of studying;) So it probably wouldn't be much help on "the test", but hopefully it'll still be an encouragement to you all.
Anyway, the below are some notes that BBer's inevitably seem to have to take. They're in no way meant to be comprehensive, though! :)

Attributes of the Son:

• From beginning
• Made Himself known to our ears, eyes, and hands
• Is the Word of Life
• Manifested
• Eternal
• With Father
• Fellowships with us
• Is the Father's Son
• Has message
• Is Light
• Has no darkness

CR CF Cross-References:

vs. 1 --> John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
vs. 1 --> Matt. 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
vs. 1 --> Psalm 19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

vs. 1 --> Psalm 121:1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 

vs. 4 --> Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

vs. 4 --> John 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.