John 11:10 – But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him. (ESV)

John 8:12 – I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (ESV)

Everything went completely black. We had had a power-cut whilst I was working on the computer late at night. This was a bit of a shock, because we live in an area of considerable light pollution from the main road, so that even at night, the light shines.

Being someone who likes to be prepared, I have a torch with alkaline batteries in it. It is stored under the stairs near the fuse box adjacent to the front door.

I thought, with a certain amount of self-affirmation: who is a clever boy then! Fancy being prepared for such an unlikely situation where all the power was cut in the house and street together! Time to use my torch! However, after this initial moment of self-congratulation, came the time to stand up and move!

To make the journey in the total darkness meant traversing the bedroom floor, finding the door, crossing the upstairs landing, finding my way downstairs, and getting to the entrance hall, over the various booby traps left by me earlier, to retrieve the said torch, before I could turn on its precious gift of light!

In contrast, with the torch on, it revealed to me all the shoes, clothes, and baskets hidden in darkness, but now in plain view, that had hindered my initial journey downstairs. It made me wonder whether there was something struggling to be said.

How much have I taken the light of Christ for granted that once changed my life and continues to do so daily within — as it does for all those who are children of God?

How much more difficult would our ordinary lives be without the light that illuminates our way through this world’s darkness? This has prompted praise in recognition of a God Who watches over His children.

Prayer: Lord, we give You honour and praise for Your gift to us of life. We thank You so much for Your act of grace that sheds Your love-light into our worldly-darkness. Forgive us when we ignore the gift that has been freely given, and remind us of Your dialogue within. Lord, we ask, in the name of Jesus, for You to shine Your light in our lives and illuminate our path as we go with You into the day ahead. Amen.

Rod Marshall rmarshall@glos.ac.uk
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England

Thanks to http://daily.presbycan.ca