Are You a Shining Light ?
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
We always decorate our house modestly for Christmas: white electric candles on a pine tree, and a Nativity Stable. We decorate the home about a week before Christmas, and keep the decorations up until Epiphany on 6th January in order to celebrate that the Lord Jesus is “the light of the world.”
On cold, snowy or wintery nights the lights are a happy reminder of the comfort and joy of Christmas. The light keeps shining in the gloomy (and sometimes depressing) months of the winter.
The Lord Jesus promises that we will not be in the dark when we follow Him. Believing that promise can be challenging at times. Perhaps it helps to remember that even the first disciples did not find faith easy. On one occasion, during the Lord's earthly ministry, a number of His followers gave up and went home, but Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You alone have the words that give eternal life” (John 6:68).
What does it mean to follow the Lord Jesus today?
The place to start is to listen, watch, and learn what Jesus says, does, and finds important. Jesus reached out to the hungry, the poor, the blind, and the unfairly treated. He also obeyed the deep truth of the law. And He told His disciples (and us) “You are the light of the world… Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).
Read
John 8:12-18.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, help me to shine Your light in all that I say and do, that our Father may receive praise and honour. Amen.
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