by Pastor Douglas Brauner

Jesus is Our Light in Dark Times

You  can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

We don’t like darkness.

Walking in darkness is walking in fear. We move at a slower pace when we walk in darkness. We are fearful of tripping, running into something, or falling into a hole. We feel our way around in the dark, touching something that gives us bearings and keeps us upright.

It takes a while for our eyes to adjust to our new reality when the light is turned on. We might feel uncomfortable at first because of the newness of everything around us, seeing things that we could only sense through touch. However, when our eyes become accustomed to the illumined world, we enjoy the light and fear is replaced with a sense that everything is okay.

Jesus Christ is both the light INTO which we walk and the light BY which we walk.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12 New English Translation

Jesus is the light into which we walk. By our baptism into Christ we live by his light. We still battle the darkness of sin and death, but darkness has been overcome through Jesus. It is a fact of life that when light enters darkness it always wins. Jesus always wins. He is the light into which we walk.

Since Jesus is the light into which we walk, he is also the light that guides us in our daily battles with darkness. He is the light that exposes the rocks that cause us to stumble. He is the light that reveals our path through difficult decisions. He is the light that unmasks the darkness of sin and leads us to his precious forgiveness.

Every day God’s mercy calls us to come out of the darkness and experience the light of his love for us. May the Holy Spirit fill us with courage to walk in Jesus our light.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado