Monday, July 11, 2011

Daily Gospel Devotional: July 11

John 8:12-20…

Keep the light on…

I am the light of the world. Jesus was speaking this during the feast of tabernacles, when the women’s court in the temple was lighted by giant lamps. This reminded the people of how God was with them in the wilderness guiding them by a pillar of fire by night. Jesus was saying that He is the light come from God, “the” light, not just “a” light or “another” light among many (John 1:9). The only people who cannot see the light are blind people (2 Corinthians 4:4).

The Pharisees objected to Christ’s testimony because all testimonies must be proven by two witnesses according to the law (Deuteronomy 17:6). They did not understand that He did have two witnesses; Himself and His Father. Jesus made it clear that their thinking was not dependable because their judgment was faulty. If the law required two human witnesses for accuracy, how much more dependable were two divine persons, the Father and the Son?

These Jewish experts claimed to know the law of God, but they did not know the God of the law. They did not know the Father, so they did not know the Son, and therefore they walked in darkness. They thought they had the light, the light of Moses, but they failed to understand that Moses’ light was pointing to Jesus (Luke 24:26-27, 45-48 / John 5:46).  

For Christians it is comforting to know that we will never have to walk through the dark times in life without Jesus lighting our way (Psalm 119:105 / Proverbs 4:18). It is when we refuse to follow the light that we find ourselves in darkness, but we find renewed fellowship when we turn back to the light (1 John 1:5-10).

How do we live up to the light we have been given (Ephesians 5:8)? By walking as those who are right now exposed to the light (Matthew 5:16 / Romans 13:12 / Philippians 2:15).

This is about right now: the light is not shining through us if it is not shining to us.

6 comments:

Even So... said...

In the course of one year we will read
• Every Verse
• Every Passage
• Every Gospel

We welcome your comments. If you know someone who would like be included in the daily email, or if you would like a copy of the reading schedule, let us know (primesoul@hotmail.com). You can check www.voiceofvision.org for each day’s reading, or go to www.voiceofvision.blogspot.com to leave a comment. God bless you as you join and continue in the walk with us...

This Daily Gospel Devotional goes out each day to many people by email...I receive many emails in response to these devotionals, but most are not published on the blog, and many are about private matters. I am grateful that these are reaching so many people, and touching lives. Glory to God!

MrsEvenSo... said...

This post reminds me of the song "Oh How I Love Jesus" as one verse ends "and though I tread a darksome path yields sunshine all the way!"

Oh the love of Jesus!

Even So... said...

That is a great parallel, honey...

Anonymous said...

Psalm 119:105

Proverbs 4:18

Even So... said...

That was me; just added some more scripture to the post...more "light"...

MrsEvenSo... said...

Proverbs 4:19. Very nice. : )