I have been fortunate to this point in my life to have had good eyesight. Whether it is reading a book or seeing a road sign I do not usually have a hard time seeing. The only time in my life that I had a real hard time seeing was when I was taken down into a deep cavern and somebody turned off all of the lights. There was literally no light and therefore I could not see my hand in front of my face. It was completely and totally dark, and if I am being honest, I was scared. That experience taught me a lot about how much we need light to see and how blessed I am to have the good vision that I have. I am thankful for the blessing of the good eyesight I have now, and while I know that there will probably come a time in my life that I will need glasses to see and read, I recognize that no matter the condition of my vision God has continually blessed my life.
Just like we need light to see physically, we also need light to see spiritually. When we look into scripture, we can see numerous passages that talk about the light from the Word and Jesus Himself being the light of the world. In Psalms 119:105 we read, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” The Word of God has always provided mankind with direction and instruction for this life and the next. There is so much darkness in the world, and when we are outside of Christ we are living and walking in that darkness. In John 8:12 we read, “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.”” In this verse Jesus confirmed Himself as the light of the world and draws a distinct contrast between darkness and light. Jesus has no darkness in Him at all, 1 John 1:5, and as people that are trying to be pleasing to Him, we can no longer walk in darkness. When Paul recounts his conversion, he discusses His purpose as a minister that was given to him by God was to “to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ (Acts 26:18).
In John 1:1-5 Jesus is the light that came into the world that would not be overcome by darkness. As we strive to be pleasing to God let us not only come into the light of the Gospel and into His marvelous light but let us walk continually in the light and the truth of His Word. (2 Corinthians 4:1-6, 1 Peter 2:9, 1 John 1:5-7).
Derek Broome