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‘Have The Light Of Life’
Day 3 Reading:
John 8:1-12
The parameters for today’s reading are
unusual because the main story, v1-11, is widely believed to
be inserted into the text after the original version was
created. And so,
typically, it is considered as a stand-alone episode in the
life of Jesus.
However, we’re looking at it in this devotional as connected
with the following verse, which, in some ways, makes an
application from the story.
The reasoning behind this choice is that whatever the
provenance of the story in relation with the rest of the
Gospel, its placement remains strategic and purposeful.
So, we’re considering verse 12 in light of the story
that precedes it.
And here is verse 12: “When Jesus spoke
again to the people, He said, ‘I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but
will have the light of life.’”
Now, the preceding episode epitomizes
darkness, featuring as it does legalism, religion,
manipulation, prejudice, harassment, shaming, adultery, and
more.
No one seemed to notice the darkness
until the purported sin was presented to Jesus.
And Jesus is the light of the world.
So, He, ‘Illumination’ incarnate, exposes all that
hides in the shadows.
His presence chases darkness away.
And so this act of the Pharisees and of the ‘caught’
woman are exposed for what they are.
And without Jesus, we’re left stumbling
around in the darkness, tripped up regularly by sins we’ve
listed along with a bunch more.
Our intentions may be innocuous, but we’re saturated by
the iniquitous.
Among many other negative consequences,
in the dark, we can neither see, nor be seen.
We cannot see others.
We can’t see the truth.
We can’t see love and grace.
And we can’t be seen.
People won’t see us for who we truly are.
Our hurts and brokenness?
Overlooked.
Our hopes and ideas?
Ignored.
Darkness is effectually two-way blindness.
But Jesus is the light of the world.
And we can leave forever the darkness.
We can have the light of life.
How?
Follow Jesus.
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