‘Son’ 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

With the eclipse today, many of us are talking about the sun more than normal. The excitement of this rare event gets people of all ages and backgrounds excited, and most would agree that the sun is incredible. This one giant star provides energy, allows us to see, and impacts our emotions. As Christians our awe is expanded as we think of our creator. To think that with a few words God spoke into existence the massive hot ball of plasma that lights our world is mind boggling.

After rain and dark days, there is something about seeing sunlight and feeling the warmth that drastically impacts us. Personally, the sun boosts my energy, makes me smile and lifts my emotions. I know I am not alone in this, as many Michiganders head south for Spring Break or for the entire winter to escape the dreary days.

As much as the sun brings light and life to us, Jesus does far more. In John 8, Jesus is teaching a crowd in Jerusalem, when he declares himself the light of the world. The scene takes place right after the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. In this festival, Jews traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the years in the wilderness.

They built tents to remember how God provided shelter and protection, and they also focused on light. Each day of the festival, large oil lamps were lit. The light from the lamps began festivities of joy and dancing that lasted all through the night. The symbolism pointed to God’s faithful presence in the pillar of fire.

It is into this context that Jesus declares “I am the light of the world”. He is the light they are celebrating. He provides salvation, protection and shelter. He alone shines light into spiritual darkness. In Jesus, light and salvation are given not only to the Jews but to the entire world, including you and me.

What an amazing thing! As much as we love to see the sun, we should look even more to the Son, our true light. We should not only see him as the light illuminating our path, but embrace and follow him, allowing his light to flood into the hardest parts of our lives. When we do, he promises to bring us out of darkness (John 8:12).

As we look at the sun today, may we also look toward our Savior. May the sunshine be a reminder of Jesus, our light of the world, that shines into our darkest places and invites us to walk with him. How has the light of Jesus filled your heart? Who is God asking you to share Jesus’ light with?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, We thank you for your creation and for the sun that brightens our day. We also thank you for your son, Jesus, the light of the world. As we experience sunshine, may it remind us of the light Christ offers each of us. May we accept his invitation to follow him and walk away from darkness. It is in his name we pray, Amen.

Makalah Scholten
Spiritual Care Coordinator

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