Tuesday, July 13th, 2021

There are times in life that we all feel like we’re walking through darkness, when we cannot see what is coming for us and feel anxious and fearful of the future because of it. On a basic level, there is a theme of light and darkness throughout the Bible, but Jesus is so much more than just a light in the figurative sense. He is truly the light of the world and the light by which we can, and should, see. In John chapter 11, Jesus resolved to go back to Judea to raise Lazarus from the dead even though it was incredibly dangerous to do so because of the political climate of the day. It says, “and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” It’s interesting that he makes such a point here that anyone who walks at daytime — by light — will not stumble, even when walking into something unknown. In the next chapter, he follows up by saying, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” God sent Jesus, who has His full authority, not to hold dominion over the world, but to be the light by which we can all see through the darkness. Today, if you are having difficulty seeing through darkness, trust what Jesus said of himself: he came to be your light.

“and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

“But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?”

Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” — John 11:7-10

“Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” — John 12:44-46