[RE]FOCUS Day 33
Week 5: Revealing
Day 5: I am the Light of the World
by Mary K. Cardella
READ:
John 8:12 “…Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who
follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.’”
The Power of Light
“Arise and shine!” I would often hear that morning greeting while growing up, accompanied by a
loud knock on my bedroom door. If I didn’t get up, the next step would be the abrupt intrusion
into my room, along with the room-darkening shades being thrown up, and a repeat of the
phrase being “sung” into my dark, sleepy world. This time, as the room was transformed from
dark to a bright, glowing light, I would hear, “Arise and shine…for the glory of the Lord is upon
you.” At that young time of life, I didn’t realize my mother was quoting a part of Isaiah 60, but to
this day, one of the first things I have to do upon waking is open the blinds all around the house
to disperse the darkness and let the Lord’s sunlight into my home – and into my mind and heart.
The habit of allowing light into a room everyday reminds me of Jesus being the Light of the
world. The Creator of the sun shines in our physical world so we can see His beauty and where
we are going. When we take the time to learn about Him through His word, He shines in our
heart so that we can dispel the darkness of this world and see our way to Heaven.
Sometimes we may be reluctant to let the light in – sin wants us to stay in the dark and shadows,
but when in faith we welcome Jesus’s knock on the door, He will help us to arise and shine, and
be powerfully transformed as we see our way more clearly each day with Him in the light of His
word.
PRAY:
Holy Spirit, Light Divine,
Shine upon this heart of mine;
Chase the shades of night away,
Turn the darkness into day.
Amen.
LIVE:
Psalm 119 says God’s Word is a light for our feet. What does God help you see today?