We use to sing a beautiful song called “The Light of the World is Jesus”. Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness but will have the Light of life.” (John 8:12) When Jesus said this, he was in the temple treasury where there were two large lamps and many small lamps, brightly shining. In wisdom he had just dealt with the Pharisees who had tested him.
In condemnation, they brought a woman caught in the act adultery. Jesus, in perfect wisdom, as the Light of the World, rightly judged. He knew the hearts of the Scribes and Pharisees. He also knew they had no interest in righteousness but in condemning and destruction. All sin is laid bare before the Light of the World, including the sin of the Scribes and Pharisees.
The Light of the World does not condemn but brings understanding. All of us have made choices to sin and turn our backs on the Creator but he reaches out in love. No one can hide from his blinding knowledge of our waywardness.
He also knows everything about us and is equipped to shed light on all that concerns us.
Have you ever asked God questions that start with “why”? Job also had questions for God. Job lost his family, his wealth and his health. Like all of us that experience pain and loss, Job did not understand. In chapters 38-41 God answers Job with a description of who he is. God did not defend himself by saying Satan asked to test Job. Instead God shed light on who he is. It’s so complete and overwhelming that Job said, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You”. The Hebrew word for “sees” is raah, which means that Job understood. He had an “aha” moment!
We may not understand why things happen but the good news is that God knows. He is all-knowing, all -powerful and is loving, so we can fully trust him when life hits us in the eyes.
In a prophecy about the coming of Jesus Christ, Isaiah wrote, “the people who walk in darkness will see a great light”. (Isaiah 9:2) To know God, we look at Jesus. “He’s the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.” (Hebrews 1:3)
Saul of Tarsus was on his way to Damascus. He had ruthlessly targeted followers of Jesus. “Suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul why are you persecuting Me? And he said, who are you Lord? And He said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.” (Acts 9:3-5)
Saul’s name was changed to Paul and he changed into a preacher of Jesus Christ. Years later, he wrote from a Roman prison, “I count all things to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them rubbish so that I may gain Christ”. (Philippians 3:8)
Paul knew that following the Light of the World was far greater than anything else. In his letter to the Colossian church, Paul wrote that God “rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins”. (Colossians 1:13, 14)
Jesus Christ dispels darkness. I don’t know about you, but I want to walk in the light of his love. We appreciate your Comments