The Light of the World

   “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’” (John 8:12)

    Have you ever spent time in total darkness? Maybe in windowless bedroom at night, or camping out on a moonless night? I remember one occasion when it was so dark I could not see my hand in front of my face. It was the summer of 1968 and I was undergoing some army training at an Army training location called Camp Buckner in New York State. We were being trained in night infantry operations and the night in question was an overcast and moonless night.

    I was part of a 10-man patrol and I had the job of the compass man, responsible for making sure the patrol went in the right direction with the rest of the patrol behind me. In front of me was the point man and his job was to break the brush and I was to guide him in the right direction. Our point man was a friend, named Tom Suerman, who was about 6 foot 4 inches and weighed about 220 pounds and played defense on the Army Lacrosse team. It was so dark that the only parts I could see of him were the two luminescent pieces of tape on the back of his patrolling cap that we called “ranger eyes.”

      

   As we moved through the dark in that forested and rocky terrain I watched the ranger eyes on the back of his hat in front of me and occasionally told him to walk more to the right or to the left to stay on the azimuth that had been set on the compass. Suddenly, I saw the ranger eyes drop from their 6 foot four position to below his feet and then heard a loud “oomph” come from Tom’s mouth. Then there was total silence as I froze and tried to process what had just happened. “Tom, are you ok?” I asked. At first there was no response, so I asked again and dropped down on my knees to feel forward as it was slowly dawning on me what had probably happened. 

   Finally, he responded that he was ok but that his knees and ankles were very sore. Of course you have probably figured out what happened by now. He had walked off a small cliff and had fallen about ten feet. He had not seen it coming because it was just too dark. Fortunately, he was not seriously injured and was able to continue the training exercise that night. 

    I think you will agree with me that there are many times in life that we really don’t know what is going on and what dangers may be lay ahead of us. When it is dark we need a light to help show us the way. When it is too dark we might even walk off a cliff without having any warning that the cliff is just up ahead. Jesus made it very clear in the Scripture above that He is the “light of the world.” He says we will “not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” I don’t know about you but I like the light. I like to be able to see where I am going.

   If I know Jesus personally, spend time studying who He is, what He teaches us though the Bible, and being obedient to the things He teaches us, I have a chance in this life. He is the light! He will give me the guidance I need and the assurance of Him being with me to negotiate whatever life puts in my path.     

   Are you walking in the darkness now? Are you having a little trouble seeing which way to go in your physical or spiritual life. Jesus has the answers to the questions you have. Look to Him. Cast your cares on Him. (1 Peter 5:7)

   “’While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.’ These things Jesus spoke, and departed and was hidden from them.” (John 12:36)

PRAY

1.    Lord, help me today to be filled with your Holy Spirit so that I can know how to live and which way it is that You want me to walk today.

2.    Help me to spend time in Your Holy Bible today that I may hear You speak to my heart and help me to know you better.

3.    Help me to spent much time in prayer with You so that I can know You better and I can intercede for my family, friends, church, and the leaders of our nation.