“I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”
John 12:46
Throughout the new testament, Jesus is often compared to light. Specifically in John’s gospel, there is great significance placed on Jesus as a light. In the very first chapter of John, he calls Jesus the “light of mankind.” Through the rest of John, Jesus refers to himself as a light several times.
The light is meant to represent the knowledge of truth and righteousness. It’s a perfect visual metaphor for being able to see in the light versus the blindness of the dark. It is also a direct connection to God’s first act of creation, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1)
To give a little bit better of a picture, I want to share a silly example of light and darkness in my own experience. As a kid, if I was the last one awake in my house, it was my responsibility to turn off all the lights before I went to sleep. When this would happen, it meant that I had to turn off the lights in one part of the house and then walk through the darkness to get to my bedroom. As a kid, there was a sense of fear when I turned off the lights and had to go all that way by myself. Even if moments earlier I felt totally safe and secure, as soon as I turned off the lights, I would run to my room as quickly as I could and get in bed. I was afraid of the darkness.
In the dark, you can’t see. You don’t know if there’s something evil hiding. You don’t know if you’re safe. More practically, in my scenario, you don’t know if you’re going to stub your toe or run into a wall on your mad dash back to the bed. All of these things are applicable to what Jesus is saying.
He is light. He pierces the darkness and gives us clarity, vision, security, and knowledge. We are able to walk without stumbling. We are able to see what is around us and know that we are safe. The world is dark, but with Jesus we have light. There is sin and evil always trying to trap us and take us captive. With a light, we are able to see it and stay away. There are obstacles and stumbling blocks in our path. With a light, we can see them coming and navigate through and around them safely.
Jesus is the light that illuminates our path through this life. He informs our decision, he shows us the way, he protects us from the evil that seeks to hurt us. As long as we are with him, we have the light. There’s no mad dash through the darkness, just security, safety, and truth.
Prayer:
Father,
Thank you for the light of Jesus in this dark world. May the light of Christ guide me in every way throughout my life and protect me from the darkness around me.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
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