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Thoughts on Today’s Verse…
Darkness is more than a symbol, it is a pervasive way of living and viewing the world. Darkness is the place of deception, evil, crime, predators, sin, and death. To follow Jesus means to bring him our heart and let him cast from the darkness that plagues us on the inside so we don’t have to be afraid of the darkness on the outside. In this way, Jesus gives us light, but it is a light that does more than fill a dark room with light. This is a light that illumines the heart.
My Prayer…
Holy God who lives in glorious and irrepressible light, I praise you for sending Jesus to cast away the dark fears that so easily envelop me. I pray for strength and courage to not only live in the light, but show others their way to the light. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Bible References
12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”
In this scene Jesus has a multitude of people following Him, they end up in the temple treasury where the people come to give their money offerings (vs.20). There would have been people in this court of the temple on a regular basis since they could bring their money to put in the collection boxes that were set up there at any time.
Oh, if they could only grasp the fact that their long-awaited Messiah was standing right in front of them! The precious Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29) was breathing the same air as they were. They could look into His eyes and would be looking into the eyes of God (John 14:6)!
Jesus begins teaching them that they are in spiritual darkness and that He provides the “light” that they need to eradicate that darkness permanently. Apart from Him there is no deliverance from the blackness of sin, there is no guidance along the paths of life, and no knowledge as to the real meaning of life and the issues of eternity.
But to anyone who follows Jesus, He promises a life flooded with His light! To follow Jesus means to believe on Him, to accept the free gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9) that He offers through His shed blood on the cross (Romans 3:22-24), to be born again. To follow Him means to come to Him in repentance, to trust Him as Lord and Savior, and then to commit our whole life to Him (Romans 12:1-2). To those of us who have done this, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit which enables us to live our lives as Christ would have us to in obedience to God’s Word. The same power that raised Christ from the dead is in us through His Holy Spirit, so we can live lives that are God honoring.
Jesus has indeed given us a clear and bright hope beyond the grave! Those who do not know Christ are stumbling around in the darkness of this life. Many are trusting in their own intelligence, other people, their wealth, etc…, to take them to heaven when they die. But we know that Christ is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). We can introduce them to the true Light that can only be found in Jesus Christ, He is the beacon in the night for their souls. Lord help us to open our mouths and tell those in our lives that are yet unsaved about the wonderful light of Christ!
Thank You Jesus for shedding Your blood for me. Thank You for shinning Your light into the darkness that was my life and rescuing me from myself, I love You so my Redeemer, my Prince of Peace, and my King of Kings, You are my crown of glory and I give You all praise and adoration this day, and all the days of my life forever. Amen!