Thursday, December 1—John 1:6-9: The Light is On
“The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.” What is it like to be in darkness yet anticipating the coming of light? While traveling in India, I learned how much I miss the light when it is gone. Power is sporadic in many places in India and temporary power outages are common. If the lights go out while you are walking through an unfamiliar village or urban slum, it is like trying to find your way out of a maze while blindfolded. The streets are narrow, uneven, muddy, and filled with giant potholes. It is easy to get lost or hurt.
Indians take action to prepare for the loss of light. At home, they keep candles and matches nearby. Many keep battery-powered lights in easy to access locations. All of their cell phones include a flashlight or as they call it, a torch. When the lights go out, they are quick to provide you a light so you can find your way home in the dark, but most work stops until the light returns. We need the light.
That is the way Jesus is. He stands at our side in a dark world, providing the light to show us the way out of the maze, the way home, and the way to the Father. We cannot work without His presence but we do not have to because He is always there. When we do His work, His light reflects off us and onto a dark world. We are not the light but we are a witness to the light.
In India, we taught a young Nepali man to say, “Hallelujah, thank you Jesus.” when the lights would come back on after a power outage. Let us all proclaim, “Hallelujah, thank you Jesus” because the Light is on.
Craig Walker
