Read John 1:4-9

Light

Natural light – what people commonly call sunlight – is far more beneficial than artificial light for many reasons. Exposure to natural light increases our capacity for work, helps us to sleep better and even improves our mood! And because it provides the full spectrum of colours our general well-being is also improved significantly.

On the other hand, while artificial light is more consistent and gives us greater control – except when the power goes off! – studies have shown that it “lacks the biological benefits of natural light” and too much exposure to it can have negative health benefits.

You could say there is true light and fake light and when you put them side by side, true light is genuinely life-giving.

In today’s passage we read how John described Jesus as the “true light which came into the world.”

What did he mean by this?

One of God’s purposes for the nation of Israel was to make them a light to the rest of the world. Through the way they lived, what they believed and taught, and how they treated others, they would shine His light and point others to faith in Him. To help them with this, God gave them the Law, the Temple worship, and the sacrificial system. Each were intended to be “lights” that ultimately pointed to the True Light Who was to come into the world, Jesus.

But when Jesus did come, the Jews rejected Him and clung on tenaciously to their lesser lights and tragically remained in spiritual darkness.

We do the same thing when we choose to hang on to our own beliefs about faith, religion, and what life is all about while politely ignoring or outright rejecting the True Light Jesus brings and the result is we stay trapped in spiritual darkness.

True light brings life to the world. And only Jesus, as the True Spiritual Light, can bring life to our spiritual darkness.

Why settle for less?