Clay in the Hands

Earlier this week, I had a wonderful opportunity to get away from the routine for an overnight retreat with area pastors. We had a great time of fellowship getting to know friends in ministry better, as well as meeting new ones. As we settled in for the night, I began to get comfortable in my little twin bed in my little room. The bed was pushed up against the wall, under the only window in the room.

Just as I began to relax, the lights outside the building came on; and even though the blinds were closed, the light lit up the entire room. As I lay there, my first impulse was frustration – “Now I’m never going to be able to get to sleep!” While it was not like daytime in the room, it was bright enough to make out all areas of the little domicile.

But as I thought about this new obstacle to my sleep, I thought about the power of light. It illuminates and reveals. I had no problem seeing everything in the room, even though the source of light was not in the room. Just the light coming through the closed blinds was enough to light up the room. That is the power of light in the darkness.

This Sunday, we will continue our series of looking at what we believe – the topic this Sunday will be God the Son. Jesus, one of the three persons of the trinity, is God the Son. One of the focal texts for Sunday will be John 1:1-5. It is a beautiful passage detailing the deity and eternal nature of Jesus. This passage opens with, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” We are told in verse 14, that the Word became flesh and took up residence next door.

But captured in this glorious text are 2 verses that reveal so much about Jesus. We are told in verses 4-5, “In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness but the darkness has not understood it.” Jesus, the One who was in the beginning with God and IS God, is life – life in the truest sense. And that life is the light of all mankind.

In John 8:12, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Jesus is life and light. His very nature brings clarity and illuminates true life. When we follow Him, we experience the life He created us to live because He reveals the best path for us to take. Our world is a very dark place. We need His light to make it through.

Jesus is the light of the world – walk in His light today.