Children of the light
by Pastor Mark Gierus
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Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light (John 12:36).
Read John 12:27–36
Jesus tells us that he is the Light of the World, and whoever follows him will not walk in darkness but have the light of life. But to walk in darkness is to not know where to go. He tells us to believe in this light while we have it, believe in Jesus while we hear his voice, and in him, live in the light.
By faith, believing in the light of Jesus, we become children of the light. The very word of our Lord shines deep in our souls to illuminate our sins and show us the darkness in our hearts. Because of the light Jesus shines into us, we know of our sins and run to the light to seek forgiveness. We call on him, and he renews us, healing us of our weaknesses and forgiving our sins.
As we are enlightened by the Spirit of God, we see the need for a Saviour. We see our need for Jesus, who rescued us from eternal darkness to offer us eternal life walking in the light. As we live then as children of the light, others see the light of Christ shining in and through us, bringing that light to the darkness of their lives. The light illuminates our sins and then forgives them.
The light of Jesus doesn’t shine on our sins to catch us out and tell us how pathetic and lost we are; instead, the light in Jesus, the Holy Spirit, calls us to repentance so that we can remain in this light and live always as his children.
When we lived in darkness, we couldn’t see a way out. We did not know how to find a better place when we were living in sin, trapped by selfish desires and living for our own flesh. In sin, we often don’t understand we are lost until the light of Christ Jesus shines into us. As we hear the very word of God, we start to see the way out. We are drawn to the light of the Lord by his power because he cares. Then we have a new life in him where we can see where we go each day, and we know the same light, Jesus Christ, will one day lead us home.
Jesus, Light of the World, let me live in your light. May your light shine through me. Call me daily to service, bringing you to those around me. Help me know that the time to serve you is always present, and may I shine in the darkness in this world. Be with me always as I follow you. Amen.
Pastor Mark Gierus currently serves as a Lutheran pastor in Redcliffe, Queensland. He has three beautiful girls aged 7, 10 and 19 and enjoys hiking with them, looking after their pets as a family and going on road trips. Mark prays that God will continue to bless you as you grow in him and come to know him more and more through his life-giving eternal word.
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