Read John 12:34-36. Circle the words that stand out to you. What is the Lord saying to you?
34 The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”
35 Then 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. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. 36 Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
Reflections on the Word.
I walk my dog, Coffee, late at night around 11 pm. Other times when my wife has an early doctor appointment, I walk my dog around 5:30 am. Sometimes when I am in a hurry, I don’t turn on the front porch light. It’s pitch black except for a faint light coming from a distant light pole. I just quickly walk her to the curb. And yes, I do have a plastic bag with me.
Walking during the daytime is vastly differently from walking at night. Today, we have automatic sensors that turn on the lights at night or we have our cell phones with the flashlight feature on it. Imagine before the days of electricity, during the times of Jesus, people would have to carry an oil lamp. Even with that lamp, one might easily stumble given the poor diffusion of light.
Jesus said to the people that they were to walk in the Light while the Light was still with them. That Light was going to be taken away. Soon, they are going to be in the dark and so would His disciples. He encouraged them to trust in the Light, not in themselves or to some other pseudo-light. Perhaps some in crowd had grown accustomed to Jesus and had forgotten what it was like before the preaching and teaching of John and Jesus. John was gone, and Jesus wouldn’t be with them much longer. Will the people still believe the message preached by them or would they walk back in darkness? Darkness is coming and many of them will be walking in darkness even though it is daylight.
Jesus is the Light of the world. It only becomes darker for us if we walk further away from the Light. The Light shines brighter for us if we walk closer to the Light. Which direction are you going today? Have you been walking in the light of His Word? Have you been walking with the Spirit and being guided by Him? The Light shines every moment of every day for those of us in Christ. It’s only a matter if we are walking away or walking in the Light. Which way are you going today?
-Kingston