Men, many of us never pause long enough to understand all God has given us and who is actually in charge. John reminds us that through the Word—who is Jesus, the Son of God—all things were created. Without Him, nothing that exists would have come into being. He not only created the universe but also humanity. Without Him, neither we nor anything else would have life! Additionally, He is not just the creator of all things; He is also the Life and Light of all mankind. He created us, gave us life, and sustains us. When He abides in us, He becomes the Light of our lives. This passage in John also tells us that, as His children, we must acknowledge the existence of darkness.
Yes, darkness is a real thing that we experience daily. If we are not in Him, darkness will overtake us—first in our lives on earth, and ultimately, it leads to the darkness of death. Without Him, death results in a permanent separation from the only true Light. Jesus, the living Word of God, assures us that if we remain in Him, darkness will never consume us and cannot take us from His hands. Even in darkness, we need not fear, for He is always with us. But what if we are not with Him?
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.” (John 8:12)
God tells us that, as children of God, the Light—Jesus—will never cease to exist, even at the point of death. Jesus is not only life; He is the Light who has granted all believers the gift of unending light and eternal life. We are like lighthouses that cannot be moved. This Light is always present and can never be turned off. Although this gift is free, it does not mean that everyone will accept it.
Jesus says in Luke 10:16, “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” God sent His Son for ALL, but many reject this gift. Instead, they often strive to be approved by good works; yet every good gift, even salvation, is from above, not from men.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17).
The Light that shines in us is because of Him. The eternal life we have comes from His grace and mercy, and it is Jesus Himself who enables us to stand firm in Him.
The deposit of the Holy Spirit has sealed us for the future things to come. He keeps His children close, like a shepherd with his sheep. As we remain near to Him, we hear and recognize His voice.
Therefore, if we are saved from our sins through what He has done, and His Light is in us, darkness will never overtake us. He provides for us daily and keeps us close—this should cause us to pause and consider how good God is. His love for us surpasses all understanding.
Like the Word says, who are we to boast? This is why our forefathers—Abraham, Isaac, Moses, and David—while flawed, recognized that without Him, we are nothing and have nothing! As we head into the Christmas season, consider all His goodness, for only through Him does Light and Eternal Life exist.
Have a great weekend.
Stephen L. Thomas