“Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. Therefore, be careful lest the light in you be darkness.” (Luke 11:34–35, ESV)
“Did you ever hear about the little girl on the train? She couldn’t understand why the trainman was going through the car lighting the lamps. “Mother, it is the middle of the day and the sun is shining,’ she said. “Why is he turning on those lights?” The mother smiled at her little girl. “Wait a bit and you’ll see what the lights are for.” In a moment or two the train plunged into a long, dark tunnel. It was then that the little girl saw the wisdom of the lamp lighting process.” (The Best Sermon Illustrations, p. 34).
What this precious little girl did not realize was that she and the train were approaching a tunnel. Without lights brightening up the inside of the train, everyone would be plunged into darkness upon entering the tunnel; unable to see, unable to move around safely, unable to eat, unable to go about their trip with ease. I see the little girl’s situation as parabolic to the spiritual life. Before we need the light of God to show the way, we need to look to God and seek out God’s word. Thus, when we enter dark times, God’s light will permeate the darkness and show us the way, ease our burdens, and bring us safely where we need to go.
Some people can’t see why God’s word, called a “lamp for your feet and a light for your way” (Psalm 119:105), is so important. They do not realize that the light of God found in the pages of the Bible and in the presence of the Almighty is crucial to negotiate dark times. Someday, when you go into a tunnel of bereavement, or the tunnel of temptation, or the tunnel of suffering, you will value and appreciate God’s light showing the way. God’s word and God’s presence bring comfort and security and hope through the presence of God’s light found therein.
Jesus saw and used this parabolic view of God’s light. He taught in the gospel of Luke that “the eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness” (Luke 11:34). Immediately after revealing how important light is to the eye and body, he cautioned, “be careful lest the light in you be darkness” (Luke 11:35). With these words, Jesus was explaining that surrounding each of us is spiritual light and spiritual darkness. If you do not have the “eyes to see” God’s light (Luke 6:42), spiritual darkness will prevail in you. Then, you are not safe, your way will not be clear, and you will lose hope while being attacked by the spiritual forces that will use the darkness to their advantage.
Georgette was told that her department was going to receive three new college graduates. These new graduates needed to learn how their department worked and what their jobs entailed. Management explained to Georgette and her department that these graduates were being groomed for a place in the company structure. Gladly, Georgette put her heart and soul into doing a thorough job teaching her own young trainee. Georgette cautioned the young woman on problems she might encounter and solutions that it took her months to work through.
Six months later, Georgette and her entire department were let go. The three new graduates they trained had become their replacements. In doing so, the company hoped to save thousands by paying the new recruits a lower salary while retaining some of the department’s great abilities. Georgette was awestruck. She had no idea she was being let go, let alone teaching her replacement!
Life can blindside you. You can be metaphorically “in the dark” about things going on around you. People may use your naivete to stab you in the back or take advantage of your situation. What you don’t “see” can hurt you deeply. Ask Georgette!
Spiritually, there are many people who are “in the dark” about spiritual forces, evil, the truth, and so much more. They may even think they have great intuition or a lot of education. What they will find out sooner or later is that without God and God’s word, life is hard to negotiate. When you are “in the dark” spiritually, you will not see the forces of darkness taking advantage of your situation. It is crucial that you seek the light of God’s word, ask for the light of God’s Holy Spirit to show you the way, and use God’s bright wisdom to greatest effect.
As you ponder the scripture for today, I want you to ask God for some light where you might be particularly vulnerable. Ask for God’s to shine some wisdom on your situation. Read the Bible wisely, so that God’s word can shed some light on a problem or issue. Look to Jesus to lighten your heart as you experience His love and forgiveness and grace and peace!
Finally, ask yourself in prayer where God is shining some light in your life. Maybe you need a little of God’s light to see more clearly? Why might God be shining a light on some aspect of your life? Is there a reason God might be using you to bring some light into someone else’s darkness?
What this precious little girl did not realize was that she and the train were approaching a tunnel. Without lights brightening up the inside of the train, everyone would be plunged into darkness upon entering the tunnel; unable to see, unable to move around safely, unable to eat, unable to go about their trip with ease. I see the little girl’s situation as parabolic to the spiritual life. Before we need the light of God to show the way, we need to look to God and seek out God’s word. Thus, when we enter dark times, God’s light will permeate the darkness and show us the way, ease our burdens, and bring us safely where we need to go.
Some people can’t see why God’s word, called a “lamp for your feet and a light for your way” (Psalm 119:105), is so important. They do not realize that the light of God found in the pages of the Bible and in the presence of the Almighty is crucial to negotiate dark times. Someday, when you go into a tunnel of bereavement, or the tunnel of temptation, or the tunnel of suffering, you will value and appreciate God’s light showing the way. God’s word and God’s presence bring comfort and security and hope through the presence of God’s light found therein.
Jesus saw and used this parabolic view of God’s light. He taught in the gospel of Luke that “the eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness” (Luke 11:34). Immediately after revealing how important light is to the eye and body, he cautioned, “be careful lest the light in you be darkness” (Luke 11:35). With these words, Jesus was explaining that surrounding each of us is spiritual light and spiritual darkness. If you do not have the “eyes to see” God’s light (Luke 6:42), spiritual darkness will prevail in you. Then, you are not safe, your way will not be clear, and you will lose hope while being attacked by the spiritual forces that will use the darkness to their advantage.
Georgette was told that her department was going to receive three new college graduates. These new graduates needed to learn how their department worked and what their jobs entailed. Management explained to Georgette and her department that these graduates were being groomed for a place in the company structure. Gladly, Georgette put her heart and soul into doing a thorough job teaching her own young trainee. Georgette cautioned the young woman on problems she might encounter and solutions that it took her months to work through.
Six months later, Georgette and her entire department were let go. The three new graduates they trained had become their replacements. In doing so, the company hoped to save thousands by paying the new recruits a lower salary while retaining some of the department’s great abilities. Georgette was awestruck. She had no idea she was being let go, let alone teaching her replacement!
Life can blindside you. You can be metaphorically “in the dark” about things going on around you. People may use your naivete to stab you in the back or take advantage of your situation. What you don’t “see” can hurt you deeply. Ask Georgette!
Spiritually, there are many people who are “in the dark” about spiritual forces, evil, the truth, and so much more. They may even think they have great intuition or a lot of education. What they will find out sooner or later is that without God and God’s word, life is hard to negotiate. When you are “in the dark” spiritually, you will not see the forces of darkness taking advantage of your situation. It is crucial that you seek the light of God’s word, ask for the light of God’s Holy Spirit to show you the way, and use God’s bright wisdom to greatest effect.
As you ponder the scripture for today, I want you to ask God for some light where you might be particularly vulnerable. Ask for God’s to shine some wisdom on your situation. Read the Bible wisely, so that God’s word can shed some light on a problem or issue. Look to Jesus to lighten your heart as you experience His love and forgiveness and grace and peace!
Finally, ask yourself in prayer where God is shining some light in your life. Maybe you need a little of God’s light to see more clearly? Why might God be shining a light on some aspect of your life? Is there a reason God might be using you to bring some light into someone else’s darkness?