Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” – John 8:12 NKJV
The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” – Matthew 4:16-17 NKJV
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” – Mark 1:15 NKJV
Being surrounded by darkness when you are trying to get somewhere is a really uncomfortable feeling, especially if you are unfamiliar with your surroundings. Some of you may have experienced this yourselves. I once hiked too far into a wilderness area before I decided to turn back for home. My ever-curious nature of wanting to see what was beyond the next ridge could have cost me a lot that day.
Realizing I’d never reach my vehicle before dark on my current path, I determined to take what I thought would be a short-cut back to my truck.
It wasn’t.
Darkness set in while I was still a long way from my destination, with the terrain turning very steep and dangerous to descend. Had I been single, I would have found a place to sit and wait out the night. But since my family was expecting me to arrive that evening, I had little desire to put a lot of unnecessary fear into those awaiting my return.
I dug through my daypack and found a tiny flashlight that I kept for emergencies. Fortunately, the batteries were still good. After some hours of difficult hiking through the pitch-black darkness, I managed to navigate my way back to my truck. I got home late – but by God’s grace – I got home.
Had it not been for that little light, I never would have made it to my destination. No how, no way.
The above Bible verses speak of the time when God sent His Son Jesus to this earth. He is the Great Light which is spoken of. Not a little one which is useful to see only a few feet in front of you, because God is talking about navigating through life itself here.
A Great Light indeed.
A Light which is a beacon, and not just on a misguided walk through the woods. A Light to follow in both the dark storms and daily activities of our existence on this earth. And fortunately for all of us, this Light cannot fail. It never has, and it never will – not even for you! God loves you way too much for that to happen.
As stated above, Jesus makes it clear how to follow Him, the Light of the world: Repent and believe the gospel.
If you’ve never done that, or are not sure how all this works according to God’s Word, the Bible, please see Got God?
Hope you have a really good day. And may all your hikes turn out well!