A Lighted Path
Life’s Light
By Glenda Ward
McDowell County
God repeatedly revealed Himself with a resounding “I AM”. “I AM hath sent me unto you” (Exodus 3:14). Jesus also describes Himself as the “I AM” (John 4:26; 13:19-20). Jesus proclaimed His unity of nature and equality as that with God. “I and my Father are One” (John 10:30). Every good gift and every perfect gift are from above and comes down from the Father of Light which is who He is. Subtle but powerful. Light is required for anything to grow, and Light clarifies the human Spirit. Jesus saying, “I Am the Light of the World” (John 8:12), is the outer recognition of His Father’s creation and presence, and the inward dwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is how we know our Father and why we can walk and follow Jesus. It is through Jesus we are exposed to the Light of our sins. Christ Jesus is the Light of the World. God is Light, and Christ is our Lord, the image of our invisible God – in human form. One sun in our universe lightens the whole world; so, does One Son, Christ, enlighten the whole world. God never changes.” “I WILL ALWAYS BE WHO I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN.” (Referencing Exodus 3:14).
Wouldn’t it be grand to have a Lighted Path in front of us that shows us where to go, what to do, and what to say? Do you know we do? Anyone can have that Lighted Path! Jesus is the Light of the World and the closer we stay to Him studying His Word and talking to Him through prayer; the brighter our Lighted Pathway shines. If this is done regularly daily, our pathway is lit. This does not mean we always know exactly what to do at any given time. What it does mean is, that if we wait on Him, He will guide us into the path of His Will. If we move ahead of Him and do not seek His Will – if we make decisions and choices on our own – we will end up in darkness. Whoever will follow Jesus will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life (Reference John 8:12). It takes our Lord to keep our lamp burning and our pathway lit. Our God turns our darkness into Light. Only Jesus can line up our life with God. This is the most important thing that is granted in life. We should put Jesus Christ above all else.
When we accept Jesus Christ as God’s Son, that He was crucified on the cross at Calvary and died for our sins, there becomes a change in us. A new transformation overcomes us. We are transformed from the inside out, being made a new creatures in Christ. In this, Jesus becomes our Lighted Path. He moves us in God’s direction to wash our minds and soul of all life’s impurity. He eases all our fears. Take Heed to God’s call; take advantage of God’s gift to love. Love the Giver more. Come to know Jesus; give up your problems to the One who solves them all. In Scripture Jesus speaks from God, for God, and as God. If we do not come to Jesus knowing Him as God’s Son and accepting Him as the One and Only Savior of the world …apart from Jesus, we live in darkness. Jesus is not of this world. He did nothing of Himself; but only as God the Father taught Him. To a world stumbling about in the darkness of sin, Christ offers Himself as a constant guide. Light is also symbolic of holiness.
In John 8:29 Jesus says, “I do always those things that please Him” (The Father). When this was said to the Jews, Scripture says many believed in Him, and in verse 31 He is saying, “If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed,” meaning we shall know the Truth. If we believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, then the Truth will make us free. We are to do and follow that which has been seen with the Father. Jesus’ apostles saw, followed, and knew Jesus. As authors of Books in the Bible, they had first-hand knowledge and experience of knowing Jesus. Chapter 8, verse 42 of the Book of John Jesus says, “If God were your Father, ye would love Me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but He sent Me.” The Light of Christ is the brightness of God shining through on the innermost part of the human soul. People see us following Jesus’ teachings in our life. They see that we know God. Only through a relationship with Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior can the dark parts of our hearts beam bright. The Light of the World paid for our freedom. He died on the cross so we can go free and not be held accountable for our sins we committed.
Light prevents aimless drifting. Boat captains need navigational lights to avoid running into shore or other vessels at night. A lack of preparation could be deadly. Just as ships follow lights from the lighthouse to ensure safe passage, so do we rely on The True Light. Jesus’ death broke through the darkness, lighting the way for us. God’s Word, enlightening us through the Holy Spirit helps us to understand and remember when we need His wisdom to steer us in the right direction. Prayer serves doubly as a lifeboat and lighthouse. Throughout our everyday lives is an open line of communication that was not available to Old Testament believers. From the beginning The Light has been present, He is the Word. Everything Light touches, He is a part of.
John was Jesus’ best friend, “the one Jesus loved.” He was the only one of the twelve disciples at the cross when Jesus died. John knew who Jesus was, both on earth as his friend and as his God made in the flesh. Jesus The True Light that gives Light to everyone was coming into the world, He was in the world, and even though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him! Do you know Him?
“If we walk in the Light, as He is in the Light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (John 1:7). Through Christ, we have access to the Father. Our perspective brightens when touched by the Light – Jesus Christ. Jesus shines His Light into the cracks of our hearts that harbor sin. And once revealed, the conviction of the Holy Spirit instructs and guides us to repent. We grow in the knowledge of His Truth as He sanctifies our hearts to reflect His Light. Jesus came so we could experience the power of the Holy Spirit. God’s loving embrace through the wisdom of His Word and our relationship with Him sheds His Light through us onto others living in darkness in the world. It means being so taken with Him that we join ourselves to Him. Light affects everything. It permeates Truth into every situation. It is True Love. Ruth Graham-Lotz once stated, “Only God can empower us to love, the people He purposefully places in our lives, well.” We as Christians are a Light in the darkness – a servant of God who is being watched, who gives off Light …a very distinct message in which hardly a word needs to be said. How we live our life says a lot about what we understand and believe are most important.
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Glenda Ward is a member of Grand View Baptist Church in McDowell County. She is the mother of five grown children. Glenda is a Christian writer/author of “Something to Think About” – weekly Christian Articles. She writes Church Programs & Bulletins, VBS Material, Christmas and Easter Programs; all material based on the KJV of the Bible. Also testing the field in tributes, individual memorial writings, etc. You can read more good Christian news from Glenda HERE.
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