When I (Mark) was a child, my parents took me to Carlsbad Cavern in New Mexico. I still remember walking the illuminated path deep into the dark cavern and seeing all the rock formations hanging from the ceiling and rising from the floor. I took it all in with zero fear—until someone turned the lights out. I had never known darkness like that before. You couldn’t move without the fear that one wrong step could mean disaster. After several minutes the tour guide turned on a small flashlight, and the way that little beam of light dispelled all my fear was nothing short of amazing.
The word “light” in Scripture is synonymous with revelation and understanding, while“world” means not only “earth” but also a system of belief that’s void of God and holds mankind captive. The world around us is full of spiritual darkness—the darkness of depression, hopelessness, and uncertainty make it almost impossible to see the future with any sense of hope. But when we walk through the darkness—the pain of broken relationships, fear of the future, the frailty of failed health, or the loss of someone we love—that’s when we need Jesus, the Light of the world, most.
The good news is however dark it may get, Jesus promises to light our way. Psalm 119:105 says: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (NIV). No matter how dark our season is, God can illuminate it and show us the way through the darkness. My wife, Sandy, loves lamps. She’s not so big on overhead lights—she’s an ambience girl. If she walks into a dark room, she goes straight for the lamps. I love that about her. And her love for soft, inviting lighting has carried over to her faith. During dark seasons of uncertainty, she finds a way to turn on lamps of faith.
Having been married nearly 45 years, we’ve known a few dark seasons. We’ve walked through times so dark we couldn’t see tomorrow. It’s during those times we would stand on the promises of God—no matter how faint the light—believing for the dawn of a new day. And we’ve always seen the faithfulness of God shine through! We were taught years ago to never doubt in the dark what God showed us in the light, because He is the faithful Light of the world.
While Jesus is the“Light of the world” He also calls the Church by the same name! In Matthew 5:14–16 Jesus says, “You are the light of the world … let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (NIV). As we step into this Advent season, let’s be mindful of those around us. We never know what they’re navigating. Let’s reflect the Light of the world in places of darkness; let’s shine the light of hope, care, and love into the hearts of people and let them see Jesus in us.
