Stay Close to the Light
Do you feel like you’re walking under a cloud of darkness? Maybe life is hitting you hard, a health diagnosis has rocked your world, or some career uncertainty has you up at night. You pray, but nothing seems to change. Everything feels so dark. If so, John 8 is just the passage you need.
Luke 10:1-24; John 7-9
Today's Scripture Passage
A Few Thoughts to Consider
Do you feel like you’re walking under a cloud of darkness?
Maybe life is hitting you hard, a health diagnosis has rocked your world, or some career uncertainty has you up at night. You pray, but nothing seems to change. Everything feels so dark. If so, John 8 is just the passage you need. In verse 12, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”
“This is Jesus’ second ‘I am’ saying that is followed by a predicate: ‘I am the light of the world.’”[1] Verse 12 is a continuation of chapter 7, which highlights the Feast of the Tabernacles. This feast included significant light-related rituals, where large menorahs were lit in the Temple's Court of Women in Jerusalem, illuminating the entire city. These lights symbolized God's presence and the light he provided to the Israelites during their journey in the wilderness.
Burge writes, “The spiritual use of ‘light’ was common throughout the ancient world. Parallels are available from Judaism, the Old Testament, Qumran, Hellenistic religions, and later gnostic writings. However, Jesus’ use here—and the entire scene we have just built—is thoroughly Jewish. Jesus is referring to the countless times that God’s saving work in the world is described as ‘light.’”[2] Light was a common symbol in Scripture. “In rabbinic Judaism, this light was defined further as God’s Word (Torah), which guides and provides wisdom through study.”[3] Consider a few of these verses:
· Genesis 1:3 says, “Then God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”
· God led the Israelites in the desert with light (Ex. 13:21–22; Ps. 78:14), and they were taught to sing, “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom should I fear?” (Ps. 27:1).
· God's wisdom given to the world is thus a light that illuminates his people (Prov. 8:22). This is why Psalm 119:105 says: “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.”
· John 1:5 says, “That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.”
By saying he was the light of the world, “Jesus was boldly saying, ‘The promised day of light has arrived. I am the source of everlasting joy.’”[4]
A Meditation to PRAY
Praise | Lord, I praise you for being the light of the world that never fades and guides me even in the darkest times. You illuminate my path with your wisdom and grace, bringing clarity where there was once confusion. Thank you for the light of life you offer to all who follow you.
Release | I release my fears, anxieties, and the darkness that clouds my heart and mind. I surrender the burden of trying to find light on my own, knowing that only in you will I find true illumination. I let go of the need to control and fix everything, trusting that your light will guide me.
Ask | I ask, Lord, that you draw me closer to you, that I may walk in your light and not in the darkness. Help me to seek your presence above all else, to find peace and direction in your Word. Illuminate my path and grant me the wisdom to follow where your light leads.
Yield | I yield to your light, Lord, choosing to walk in it daily, even when the way forward seems unclear. I commit to deepening my relationship with you, trusting that your light will make my path clear as I draw near to you. I choose to rest in the clarity and peace that comes from walking closely with you.
A Challenge to Act Like Christ
Sometimes, we get so stressed, living in a dark world. Life starts to feel hopeless, and we long for some beam of light to pierce the darkness. In desperation, we turn to distraction or some temporary means of fulfillment. But what Jesus is saying is that all true light is found in him. And 1 John 1:7 says, “If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” The simple truth is that the closer we stay to Jesus, the clearer our paths become.
Unfortunately, it often takes years of trying to do it on our own before we truly embrace this reality. Rather than just being with Christ, we always jump from one thing to the next, hoping we will somehow stumble into the light. Instead of intimacy, we opt for activity. But to walk in the light as Christ is the in light is to walk so closely to him that the radiance of his essence illuminates our path.
If you feel you’re walking under a spiritual cloud of darkness today, take time to be with Jesus. Seek to be close to him. Instead of demanding answers, deepen your relationship. Rather than trying to create your own beam through activity, walk in the light of his presence.
*Unless you specify otherwise, comments and questions you ask may be featured in upcoming podcast episodes.
[1]Gary M. Burge, John, eds. Terry C. Muck, The NIV Application Commentary. Accordance electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000), 255.
[2]Gary M. Burge, John, eds. Terry C. Muck, The NIV Application Commentary. Accordance electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000), 256.
[3]Gary M. Burge, John, eds. Terry C. Muck, The NIV Application Commentary. Accordance electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000), 256.
[4]Bryan Chapell, eds. Gospel Transformation Study Bible Notes. Accordance electronic ed. (Wheaton: Crossway, 2013), paragraph 4831.
