No prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. 2 Peter 1:21 NRSV.

If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7 NKJV.

I loved this in You Are The Beloved by Henri Nouwen: “I think that we have hardly thought through the immense implications of the mystery of the incarnation. Where is God? God is where we are weak, vulnerable, small, and dependent. God is where the poor are, the hungry, the handicapped, the mentally ill, the elderly, the powerless. How can we come to know God when our focus is elsewhere, on success, influence, and power? I increasingly believe that our faithfulness will depend on our willingness to go where there is brokenness, loneliness, and human need…Each one of us is very seriously searching to live and grow in this belief, and by friendship we can support each other. I realize that the only way for us to stay well in the midst of the many “worlds” is to stay close to the small, vulnerable child that lives in our hearts and in every other human being. Often we do not know that the Christ child is within us. When we discover Him we can truly rejoice.”

And our chapter, 2 Corinthians 6 – And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain – for He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold now is “the day of salvation.”…giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things. Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart is opened wide. You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections. Now in a like exchange – I speak as to children – open wide to us also. Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you. And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” says the Lord Almighty.

How do we reconcile what Paul is saying with the prayer Jesus the Son gave right before His betrayal by Judas? I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one…Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. John 17:15, 17. We can go so wrong in our understanding of coming out and being separate, as though we are better than anyone. That way of thinking helps no one. The light we need to see by is the Light of God’s Love. To be sanctified in the truth is to hold to the truth of Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit – even as we walk in this world darkened by the evil one. Walking with Him, we walk on level ground; and walking on level ground is to see by His light. Can we understand that it is only with Him that we walk in His truth? Jesus didn’t shy away from “sinners”. But He held to the truth always…and they responded to Him! What is the truth? Jesus told Philip, His disciple…I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. John 14:6. This world is a reflection of the darkness that obscures and we are not immune to that darkness. That’s why Jesus came. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light…those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them…For a child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:2, 6. We have all of us touched what is unclean. We have all of us lived in darkness. At the acceptable time I listened to you…And on the Day of Salvation I helped you…Behold…now is the acceptable time…Behold…now is the Day of Salvation…everything rests upon Him! And His Light is the light we need to see by as we walk with Him.