LIGHT BY NIGHT

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.”- JOHN 8:12 NIV

Do you ever think about how dark the world is? And wonder how much darker it can get? Watching the news is enough to trigger such thoughts!

Do I see the positive side of life? Yeah, I do, but I still don’t like darkness. When you walk into a dark room, what do you think about first? “Let me switch on the light,” right?

How about when there’s darkness on the road you’re on? You remember what Israel in Exodus 20:14 went through in the wilderness?

That nation knew they were going towards the promised land. However, on their way, in the wilderness, the sun went down every night. Imagine the darkness of a desert where there are wild animals and reptiles — mountain gazelles, sand cats, polecats, caracals, leopards, scorpions and more.

As soon as the sun went down, the cloud guiding them turned into fire. So, fire zapped up the darkness and shone the light to allow them to see their path and what was around them so they could reach their destination. Elsewhere, it was dark, but they had the miraculous light God provided.

This is what Jesus has promised us: “I am the light of the world…”. So, if the world gets darker, there’s no guarantee your world won’t be affected. However, if you’re following Jesus, you have that guiding light dwelling in you and around you. His light lights up your way. He brings eternal life to you and me.

Father God, I thank you for giving us your Son, Jesus, to light up the way and bring the abundant and eternal life to us. I’m so grateful for Jesus.

Consider this: Because of what Jesus has done, eternal life is available to you no matter how dark your past has been. No darkness is too thick for his light if we receive it.

God Is in Everything

In the highs and lows of life, God is for us and promises to work everything for our good and His glory.

Romans 8:28-29

You’ve probably asked yourself, Is God really involved in the details of my life? If you’re like most of us, it’s easy to believe that God is in the good things. He’s surely in your successes, strong relationships, and good physical health. But you may wonder if He’s also in your failures, broken relationships, and sickness. Good news—He is!

Take note of an important distinction: God being in everything doesn’t mean that He is causing everything that happens to us. After all, we live in a fallen world full of brokenness and sin. There will always be trouble to deal with on this side of eternity. So, while God doesn’t create every circumstance we face, He does allow every circumstance. As He does, He’s weaving the good parts and the difficult parts of our lives together for our long-term benefit and His glory.     

Nothing we’re dealing with has slipped by our sovereign God. Everything is under His control. When we choose to trust His ultimate goodness, we can both receive the joys of today with thanksgiving and accept the hardships with peace. It is the peace of knowing that God is with us, for us, and always working for the good of those who love Him.

Seeing Christ in the Scriptures

Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth…

Acts 2:22

With each passing year, I’ve developed a greater tendency to wake up in the middle of the night. Worry often sweeps in when I am stirred from sleep—and, as is fitting for a pastor, one of my concerns is this: Am I seeing and teaching Christ in and from all the Scriptures?

It is possible to study the Bible without Christ as our focus. We may pride ourselves on understanding it in a very systematic fashion, but in doing so, we run the risk of becoming so enamored with our method that we fail to see Christ.

In Acts 2, when Peter addresses the crowd, he says, “Men of Israel, hear these words.” (His tone seems authoritative, doesn’t it?) And then notice what follows: “Jesus of Nazareth…” Peter doesn’t begin by appealing to the people’s felt needs or by presenting to them all the practical benefits of the gospel, nor does he embark on laying out a set of doctrines or setting forth a series of propositions. Rather, he proceeds to say who Jesus is, why Jesus came, and what Jesus did.

Peter’s teaching was directed to the heart, rooted in grace, and focused on Christ. Such teaching comes at a cost—one that not everybody is prepared to pay. It is much easier to talk about the issues of the day than to truly know and share Christ. Sometimes, in churches that hold the Bible in high regard, we find it more comfortable to talk more of our favored doctrines than of the Christ who often unsettles us and challenges our lifestyles. The hard thing to do, however, is also the right thing to do. What a dreadful waste of energy, to gain insight or provide instruction about almost everything but the saving story of Jesus!

Scripture finds its focus and fulfillment in Christ. The real test of how deeply God’s word is dwelling within us is not our ability to articulate a story line but to see Jesus in all the Scriptures. He is not just the start of the Christian faith but the sum total of it. Aim to go deeper into Christ, not to move beyond Him.

Perhaps this should be our prayer whenever we open the pages of our Bible:

More about Jesus would I know,
More of His grace to others show;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love, who died for me.
More about Jesus let me learn,
More of His holy will discern;
Spirit of God, my teacher be,
Showing the things of Christ to me.[1]