(Read the previous devotion here.)
John 8:12–20
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “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
I remember one time my wife and I were sheltering in place, waiting for a hurricane to pass over our community. The hurricane shutters were up, and I was sitting in darkness with no power and no air conditioning, waiting to see what would happen.
In John chapter 8, Jesus promises that we will never “walk in darkness” if we follow him, but instead will have the “light of life.” Of course, Jesus is not promising a life without storms for his followers. During Lent, we remember the storms of temptation that Jesus faced for 40 days, and we often reflect on this by testing our own willpower with self-denial.
But just like Jesus knew his mission in the wilderness, in this Christian life, we know:
- What we are to do. We are called to love God and to love others. Having this purpose prevents our life from being a dark void without meaning.
- Where we are going. In following Jesus, we know that we are going to join him in heaven.
This “light of eternal life” shines over every struggle of this mortal life. Indeed, we can never know when and what storms will come in this life.
For me and my wife and our community, the wind howled and the waters rose, but God spared us. A couple days later, the hurricane shutters came down, and the tropical sun beamed into our home again.
Prayer:
God, you sent your only Son to be tempted, tortured, and killed, only to rise again so that we could have the light of life. Help us to be the people of light, filled with purpose and mindful of our final destination.
Tim Abraham
