LIGHT OVERCOMES THE DARKNESS
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow Me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
John 8:12 (NLT)
Let there be light (Genesis 1:3). According to the Genesis account, God separated the light from the darkness on the first day; however, He didn’t create the sun, moon and stars until the fourth day. Where was the light when the sun had yet to be made? The logical conclusion is that the light was from God Himself. Similar to how man was made in God’s image, the creation of light was a physical reflection of God’s essence of clarity, illumination and glory.
With this in mind, the manifestation of Jesus provides a whole new perspective on verses such as Psalm 119:105. The verse reads, Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. It could also be Your WORD is a lamp… The Bible, God’s law, provides light for our feet, but Jesus, the Word of God, is the personification of that light. The light in Psalm 119:105 lights each step on the path, but Jesus is a light we follow into a future of hope, purpose and life, an eternity only the hardened would want to miss.
Jesus has been providing light to the world since the beginning of everything (John 1:4). That’s why He can rightly claim to be the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). Life came into existence through Him, but death entered the scene with the Fall. Consequently, we only find life by circling back to its Source: Jesus.
Where else are we looking for the light and life we can only find through Jesus? The longer we travel our own way, the darker the path gets. In The Case for Christianity, C.S. Lewis says, We all want progress. But progress means getting nearer to the place where you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turning then to go forward does not get you any nearer. If you are on the wrong road progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road.
Walk to Jesus, the only path that leads to life.
APPLICATION: Where in your life are you walking closer to life, to Jesus? Take time to celebrate that progress and give Him the glory for the journey. Are you walking on your own path in some areas? Take time to turn that path over to Jesus and ask for His help in course correcting.
PRAYER: Jesus, thank You for being the light of the world. Thank You for sharing your light with me. Help me to follow You, experience Your life and lead others to You as well. Amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?