“12 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)
Yesterday we looked at the context Jesus spoke this “I am” into. Today let’s look at the content. Jesus juxtaposes light and darkness. More specifically walking in darkness vs having, walking, in the light of life. I think of a time when a friend treated our family to Knotts Berry Farm in Los Angeles somewhere. Because I was pregnant…again…I could not ride the rollar coaster rides but that night I went in the basket that raised the rider up high to over look the LA basin as the lights on the basket went out. It was like being suspended in a dark void. I could not appreciate the scenery because I was too terrified, clutching the rails of the basket, and trying to act brave for a child with me. I could not identify anything. I was paralyzed. Being lowered was petrifying. Perhaps you would find that fun but I did not. I do not like to walk where I cannot tell up from down, where I am going, or if there are objects in the way.
Jesus says that without “light” life becomes like that. It is hard to get our berrings. We do not really know if what we are doing is getting us where we want to go. We cannot see the sticks and stones on the path. We cannot see to know which friend to reach out to for orientation. Jesus claiming to be the light of life sounds to me like orientation, like direction, like fellowship, and like guidance. Jesus uses the word, “never.” Walking with Jesus is never walking in total darkness. In our darkest days, he is our torch, our flashlight, that will lead us to safety.
Let’s take a short time to think how light helps us to navigate our daily lives and pray for that gift in facing the challenges of today.
On the Way to Wonder 