Jesus : The Light of LifeSpeaker: Dr. D.G.S. Dhinakaran Gist: Darkness comes into a life to destroy the peace and happiness in one's heart. Christ Jesus came into this world to dispel this darkness, as the Light of Life. When you give place to Him in your life, all darkness disappears. The Holy Scripture says that Jesus came down to this world to provide light to the Gentiles.
"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." (John 1:4,5)
"This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5)
"The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned." (Matthew 4:16; Isaiah 9:2)
One day, when a woman caught red-handed in adultery was brought to our gracious Lord Jesus, He said that she had walked in darkness. The darkness of sin had seized her. Moreover, the darkness of hatred and darkness of disease seize our hearts too.
"But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes." (1 John 2:11)
Devout Job laments, saying, "But when I looked for good, evil came to me; and when I waited for light, then came darkness" (Job 30:26). The handsome man was struck with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head (Job 2:7). Disease brings in darkness.
Further, the Scripture says that even a man's wealth can bring darkness into his life (Ecclesiastes 5:13-17).
In a certain country, one political party tried to capture the power by force. Among them was a well educated attractive lady. She enticed the Commander-in-Chief of the country to accept her invitation to dine with her at her house. She then coaxed him to spend the night with her and indulged in sinful pleasures. She then managed to murder him as well. Her party praised her for having compromised her chastity for the good of the country. The political party succeeded in capturing power and the lady was rewarded with a lucrative job. People thronged everywhere to listen to her spirited talks. They appreciated her talk with applause. But alas! A dreadful disease seized her abruptly. Her body emitted a foul odour. The very people who praised her to the skies avoided her presence. In her thirty ninth year, she died miserably, with her body rotten and stinking. I read that she was shrouded in darkness and misery in her last days.
Look at our gracious Lord Jesus! He was keen on dispelling this darkness of sin. In Matthew 9:2-7, we read about a paralytic lying on a bed that was brought to Jesus to be touched and healed by Him. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you... That you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"; then He said to the paralytic, "Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." (Matthew 9:6)
In Mark 1:40-42, we read about a leper groping in the darkness of disease who came to Jesus and said, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed" (Mark 1:40,41).
Dear friend, He was light even unto those who did not know Him, to those who were unfit to call themselves as His people. Even today, He is light to us all. How great is His magnificence!
Prayer:
Loving Heavenly Father,
Deliver me out of the valley of darkness. You alone are my strength and shield. Make me worthy to be called as Your beloved child. Let Your light shine in my life and let the darkness disappear completely from my life. I give You all the glory. In Jesus' precious name, I pray.
Amen. |