Light of the World
Light of the world. Jesus said, that because we are followers of Him, we, too, are lights in the world. What kind of light do we portray to those around us? Do those in darkness, who do not know the Lord of light, see Christ shining forth from us?
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16, NKJV
Light of the World
We know that Jesus is the Light of the world, for not only did He create light, but God the Father is known as the Father of lights (James 1:17).
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
James 1:17, NKJV
What does this mean to the believer? Paul, in Colossians 1, answers this more articulately than we can answer it:
9 For this reason we
also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to
ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom
and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:9-14, NKJV
Jesus said, that because we are followers of Him, we, too, are the lights in the world. What kind of light do we portray to those around us. Do those in darkness, who do not know the Lord of light, see Christ shining forth from us?
According to Paul's words, we understand that because we are God's
children, we have been qualified, by God the Father, to be partaker of
the inheritance of the saints in the lights. We have been delivered from
the power of darkness, for we now have received redemption through the
blood of Christ attaining the forgiveness of our sins. Do we, then,
walk worthy of the Lord by being fruitful in every good work and
increasing in the knowledge of God?
How concerned are we for those around us who still walk in darkness?
When we see headlines such as those coming out of Egypt where the people
are marching in defiance of Christians, are we on our knees praying
that God would open the eyes of those who hate God?
It is easy for us to become so entrenched in our own lives that we
really do not have all that great of a concern for the lost. It is also
easy to become complacent, believing that those who do not know the Lord
will always walk in darkness for they have no desire to come to the
Light of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. Could it be that they walk in
darkness for they have never truly seen God's light manifest in the
lives of anyone they know?
Let us, as those are the light of the world, walk in that light. Let us
pray that the light of the Gospel will shine forth brightly through our
words and actions that others may truly see Christ in us. Let us take
the time to leave our comfortable chairs, and take the Gospel to those
who have never heard.
This is our calling in life. This is why the Lord Jesus Christ saved us.
Let us, then, walk as those who are truly the Light of the Word!
See also the devotional, Jesus Light of the World, from John 1
Devotional Reflections from the Bible
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