The Light Of The World

Today is the last day of Sukkot, the feast of tabernacles, where the Jewish people build temporary dwellings in their back yards to remember their years of sojourning in tents in the desert after their delivery from Egypt. This feast is eight days long. For the first seven days of Sukkot, the four candle stands in the Temple courtyard, each standing 75 feet tall, with large bowls of oil atop each one, were lit, and their golden glow illuminated the Temple grounds. 

But on the eighth day they were extinguished, and where warm, life-giving light once saturated the area, now a lifeless darkness weighed heavy. Into this exact scenario walked Jesus, in John chapter eight. Standing amidst this darkness Jesus exclaimed, “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). 

The Pharisees were outraged that He would claim to be the Light that the people craved. Not just a mere man-made illumination, that can be turned on and off at the leader’s command, but a spiritual Light that reveals the stain of sin that requires a response of repentance and then forgiveness is given. A Light so bright that darkness has no choice but to flee, and the fear and uncertainty that comes with a mind that only believes in this life’s short mortality, now takes wings as it understands that in Christ we are eternally alive, safe, and loved. This is True Light! 

As our world grows darker and more anti-God, we have one goal, and that is to walk so close to the Source of all Light that we will never have to wonder where we are in God’s timeline of humanity, but rather, we can rest in full assurance that we are doing as we were told to do, and we have drawn nearer to God, and His guiding Word, as the world dims. 

“Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a Light unto my path,” and in this beautiful Light we must walk. Scripture tells us that when we do this with other Believers, we have true fellowship and the Light of the world is with us, guiding us Home. 

Stay close to the Light.

(Devotional by Cheryl Hall-Laos)