Day 25: Light vs. Darkness

John 11, 12, 13

We are asked to walk in light not in the darkness.  There are plenty of reasons for that.  The scripture recounts Jesus’ sermons to those that followed him (whether in truth or curiosity).  In the darkness, we trip and fall.

⁹Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world’s light. ¹⁰It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light.” John 11:9-10

²⁵Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; ²⁶and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

³⁵Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. ³⁶Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them. John 12:35-36

We sin in darkness because we do not know where we are going.  The darkness is naturally comforting to man – it the light that we must persevere through.  It won’t always be easy but it is through Him that we are able to.

Dear Lord, we all sin in so many ways.  We know to live in the light and not in the darkness – yet because it is what we are comfortable with, we slight in your instruction.  Allow us to truly take in your word and that despite the trials and tribulations that we may face, to have strength in walking in Your Light. Amen.

Day 17: To Be A Lamp of the Body

Day 17: Luke 9, 10, 11

At the end of Luke, chapter 11, it describes an incident between Jesus and the Pharisees/teachers of the Law. Reading the actions of those that “follow the law” but their hardened hearts – remind me of the times today.  I too struggle with having 1 foot in the world and 1 foot in the Christian world.

³⁹Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. ⁴⁰You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? ⁴¹But give what is inside the dish ^[a] to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

⁴²“Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.

⁴³“Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.

⁴⁴“Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it.”

⁴⁵One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”

⁴⁶Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

⁴⁷“Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them. ⁴⁸So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. ⁴⁹Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ ⁵⁰Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, ⁵¹from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.

⁵²“Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.” Luke 11:39-52

I remember the passage previous to this: ³⁴Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. ³⁵See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. ³⁶Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you.” Luke 11:34-36

Dear Lord,

Help me to be a lamp of the body.  Help me to understand the errors of those who don’t live by the word.  Impossible on my own, but fully trusting in your compassion – let me see the errors of my ways.  Allow me to trust in you, Lord. Amen