Page 23 - Livin Light Issue 81

THIS WEEK’S BIBLE INSIGHTS ARE BY:
Cara Grant and are based on John 1:9-18 (NIV)
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ MORE ON THIS WEEK’S MAJOR THEME:
Matthew 5:1-12
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though
the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only
Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, ‘This is the one I spoke about when I said, “He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.”’ 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in the closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
Sunday June 25 - Not just for Christmas
The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
John 1:9
This week’s Bible passage is always read at Christmas; but listening to it now, in midsummer, while Christmas decorations lie sleeping in boxes, allows us to ponder God’s timeless ‘Christmas truths’ afresh. These truths are Light and Life for us, not just for Christmas, but every day of the year.
John begins his gospel with ‘In the beginning...’, deliberately casting our minds back to Genesis and God’s act of creation. God spoke his word... and suddenly the vast darkness of space was flooded with light, making physical things visible.
Jesus is ‘the true light’, for just as God ‘in the beginning’ sent light to end the world’s physical darkness, so he sent Jesus to end our spiritual darkness. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12) and went on to make God visible to us – overcoming sin, death, and this world’s spiritual darkness... to bring us a new beginning.
We never need to grope around in the dark searching for spiritual truth, because Jesus lights the way to God – when we look at Jesus, we are looking at God. I pray that wherever you are this week you will be physically refreshed by God’s beautiful summer sunshine, and spiritually refreshed by glimpses of Jesus, the true light, his Son.
Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ, precious Holy Spirit: three persons, one God – you are glorious! Shine the light of your powerful word into my heart, and scatter all my remaining darkness. Amen.
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PRAYER FOR TODAY