Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12 NKJV
As time allows, we like to take our two dogs on long walks. So one Saturday evening in the fall, we decided to explore DW Field. Everything was going fine until I led us on a trail left instead of right, taking us to the Stoughton entrance instead of Brockton, where we had parked. With dusk fast approaching and the path canopied by the trees, it quickly started growing dark, and we became unsettled knowing the park would soon close. Fortunately, we found the right trail and, twenty minutes later, made it to the car before we were locked in for the night. That’s the last time we hiked DW Field.
Whether we talk about physical or spiritual darkness, it is unsettling. In the absence of light, it's easy to get lost. We can't discern where we are headed, left, right, or straight into an unmovable object or gaping hole. But when we introduce light, our perspective changes, the darkness is driven away, and our path is made clear.
After man's rebellion against God, we entered into darkness. The light didn't disappear, but we covered it with sin. What is really absurd is we convince ourselves we like it that way. The darkness isn’t so bad; we can live with hopelessness. In this delusional state, we continue to sin, thinking if we can't see God, he can't see us either. How wrong we are; nothing is hidden from God.
But God does not want us to live in despair; through Jesus, his light is revealed to our eyes. Perhaps there is blinking at first as our spiritual eyes adjust, but then we clearly see what is in front of us. We recognize how dangerously close we were to the hazards around us and can identify the dangers to be avoided for the first time. Finally, we can experience a whole new life in Christ's light.
God of hope, thank you for sending Jesus to reveal your light to us. Thank you for the day we accepted him into our lives. Help us walk by the Spirit and reject darkness. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
