December 12 | Light in the Darkness
John 1:1-5 (NLT)
In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2 He existed in the beginning with God.
3 God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
5 The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.
When Hurricane Sandy left so many people without power, street lights, garage lights, and even doorbells went dark for a couple of weeks in my neighborhood. I remember it was the eeriest feeling when the sun set – it seemed like you were totally alone when you stepped outside the front door. You don't realize how much you welcome even the small warm light of a doorbell until it's completely dark outside.
In the past couple of years, it feels like the world has become a very dark place. But what this verse reminds us of, and what we remember at Christmas time, is that Jesus is the Light of the World. No matter how much darkness there is around us, the light will always shine through. As Christians, we have the light of Jesus inside of us, and it's our mission to bring that light and hope to places of darkness in the world. During this holiday season, we celebrate that God sent the light, Jesus, to the world as a baby to build a bridge between humanity and God, the Father.
How can you bring the light and hope of Christ to someone this week who is struggling with a dark or hopeless situation? No matter how difficult it may seem, God wants to use you as a bridge to that person. Today, pray that others will see the light and hope of Jesus in you.
~Rebecca Jones