Light
Read John 8:12-20.
Those of us who live in a city sometimes forget what real darkness is like. There is always light around. Street lamps on the corner. Sign lights on the 24-hour restaurants. Security lights on the garages. Unless there is a power outage, we are surrounded by light twenty-four hours a day. We come to count on it, so that when the power goes out, we're often not prepared.
You have to go outside the city limits, away from the lights, to appreciate what true darkness is about. Go where you can see the stars. Go to where you're not sure exactly which way to head. Turn off the headlights (not while moving!) and appreciate the darkness. Then we can better understand what Jesus meant when he said he is the light of the world.
When it's truly, deeply dark, we need a light. We become desperate for light. The light tells us which direction to go. The light helps us see other things around. And in those times, we don't just want a single, small candle (though, in a pinch, any light will do). We want a big, bright, shiny light, one that we can see from some distance away.
Into the darkness that was his world, Jesus promised to be the light. Actually, he didn't hedge any here. He IS the light of the world, whether we choose to walk by his light or not. And he's not some single, small candle. He is the light that triumphs over every darkness in the world. In this conversation, he's debating with those who purported to show the way to their people. In some ways, they claimed to have sole possession of any light that might be in the world. Jesus directly contradicts them. Basically he says, "You don't have the light, because I am the light. I am the only way people are going to find their way out of the darkness in this world." And they continue to argue with him. I wonder how deeply Jesus sighed at the end of this conversation, wondering if they would ever learn.
He is the light. He is the hope. He is the only way out of the darkness. Then, today, and tomorrow. Always. Will you follow his light? Will you share his light?
Those of us who live in a city sometimes forget what real darkness is like. There is always light around. Street lamps on the corner. Sign lights on the 24-hour restaurants. Security lights on the garages. Unless there is a power outage, we are surrounded by light twenty-four hours a day. We come to count on it, so that when the power goes out, we're often not prepared.
You have to go outside the city limits, away from the lights, to appreciate what true darkness is about. Go where you can see the stars. Go to where you're not sure exactly which way to head. Turn off the headlights (not while moving!) and appreciate the darkness. Then we can better understand what Jesus meant when he said he is the light of the world.
When it's truly, deeply dark, we need a light. We become desperate for light. The light tells us which direction to go. The light helps us see other things around. And in those times, we don't just want a single, small candle (though, in a pinch, any light will do). We want a big, bright, shiny light, one that we can see from some distance away.
Into the darkness that was his world, Jesus promised to be the light. Actually, he didn't hedge any here. He IS the light of the world, whether we choose to walk by his light or not. And he's not some single, small candle. He is the light that triumphs over every darkness in the world. In this conversation, he's debating with those who purported to show the way to their people. In some ways, they claimed to have sole possession of any light that might be in the world. Jesus directly contradicts them. Basically he says, "You don't have the light, because I am the light. I am the only way people are going to find their way out of the darkness in this world." And they continue to argue with him. I wonder how deeply Jesus sighed at the end of this conversation, wondering if they would ever learn.
He is the light. He is the hope. He is the only way out of the darkness. Then, today, and tomorrow. Always. Will you follow his light? Will you share his light?
Beautifully written.
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