The Light of the World
Spend a few moments in silence before God preparing your heart to hear from Him.
“Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness, prisoners suffering in iron chains, because they rebelled against God’s commands and despised the plans of the Most High. So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.” - Psalm 107:10-16
Have you experienced God’s light in the midst of dark moments in your life?
Pray: Psalm 107 talks about the darkness we live in when we choose to rebel against God and ignore His will for our lives. However, the good news is that God is always ready and willing to save us and bring us into the light of His presence when we cry out to Him and choose to trust Him. Spend a few moments thanking God for His unfailing love.
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” – Isaiah 9:2
Read: John 1:1-14, 8:12
Considering that the first recorded spoken words of God in the Bible are, “Let there be light,” in Genesis 1:3, it’s safe to say that light is important to understanding God and His character. In fact, 1 John 1:5 says, “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” Light helps explain for us the character of God and gives us a glimpse of what He is like. Like the physical properties of light, God, in His character and nature, is pure, brilliant, radiant, holy, perfect, and eradicates all darkness. In the first chapter of John, he tells us that when the Word of God (a name for Jesus) came into the world, he came as the light of life, and to everyone who would believe in Him, He gave the right, the power to become a child of God. Later John records Jesus saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” Light is powerful. It only takes a small source to help a person see in the dark. Jesus promises to give the light of life to anyone who follows Him. The type of light Jesus gives is one with the power to enable a person to become a part of the family of God and to go and spread that light to the rest of the world, overcoming any evil or darkness.
What does this passage teach you about Jesus? Have you experienced His light? In what ways have you strayed from the light and chosen to walk in darkness?
Listen:
What needs to change in your life as a result of hearing this message about Jesus?
Pray: Use the following passage of Scripture as a guide for a closing prayer to your time spent with God today.
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible – and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.” – Ephesians 5:8-13
