Thoughts for the Day

* 'The Light of the world' by William Holman Hunt.

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.’ Then the Pharisees said to him, ‘You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid.’ Jesus answered, ‘Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgement is valid; for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid. . I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf.’ Then they said to him, ‘Where is your Father?’ Jesus answered, ‘You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.’ He spoke these words while he was teaching in the treasury of the temple, but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Our world is illuminated by light today. Our car headlights make clear the road ahead; street lights keep towns and most villages lit; and we have to construct special places as "dark zones" like Kielder forest in order to see the night sky. From above the towns shine like jewels on the earth's surface at night, and motorways appear like ribbons of light. However, it's not so many years ago when villages had no lights. I can remember a young man I knew, took his girlfriend home down a mile long asphalt path to her house. He wheeled his bike, intending to ride home, but the trouble occurred after he left his girlfriend's house for it was pitch dark by then and there was no light at all. He ended up in a ditch, bike and all, somewhat scratched to pieces, before making his painful way home.

Jesus says he is the 'light of the world', and these words come in the Temple during the Festival of Tabernacles which we saw recently was associated with water (see Rivers of Living water). However, the festival was also associated with light, and enormous candles were lit in the courtyard of the women, for the people associated God with light. Psalm 27.1 says ' The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?' and Micah 7.8 'When I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.'

Jesus could not have made it plainer that he was the Messiah, the Son of the Living God who had come to rescue His people from the darkness of their sin. So this Lent let us allow Him to shine a light on our forgotten sins, our mistakes, our pride, our selfishness etc, and ask His forgiveness.

Lord Jesus Christ,
You came as a light to our world,
to show up the dark and sinful
areas in our lives.
May we use this time of introspection
to look afresh at ourselves,
and in Your searching light
uncover what is shameful,
acknowledging that we have
fallen short of what You expect.
Then may we repent
and ask Your forgiveness.
Amen.