The light shines in the darkness of faithful souls, and shines there more and more, beginning in faith and leading to knowledge; but the hearts of the unholy, through faithlessness and ignorance, have not grasped the Light of the Word glorifying the flesh.

  - Eriugena, Homily on John 1.1-14, Irish, 9th century[1] 

And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

  - John 1.5

It’s a terrible thing to live in the darkness of unbelief.

Oh, I know, unbelievers seem happy enough, many of them, anyway. They don’t appear to mind the darkness.

And it seems that most believers, who once dwelled there with them, are willing to let them continue there. Wouldn’t want to disturb their comfort zone, you know.

But the darkness is terrible where the Light of Christ does not penetrate deeper and deeper, shining brighter and brighter.

Or perhaps you’ve forgotten?

In the benighted soul, profound uncertainty rules. Life is a hunch and a fleeting hope. Doubt attends everything – even the chosen morals and values of the one who dwells in darkness. Dissatisfaction, disillusionment, and despair show up with every triumph, every accolade, every success. The fear of death hangs like a shroud. Every pleasure is fleeting. Every triumph turns to dust. All progress is ultimately to the grave.

Jesus overthrows all that gloom by shining the light of eternal life, hope, and glory into the recesses and compartments of the soul, beginning that great work where He makes all things new.

Jesus is the Light of the world. He is the Morning Sun, the Brilliance, the Insight, the Way-Pointer, and the Illuminated Walkway the world requires. He is the Escape Hatch out of despair and hopelessness into unshakeable joy and peace. He is the Light at the end of every tunnel.

Jesus is the Light of the world, and His light must shine brighter and brighter in our hearts each day, because the darkness has no power to stop it (1 Jn. 2.8).

But if this is to be so, we must flee to that light and bask long in it – through Scripture, meditation, and prayer – until the light of Jesus burns away the lust and languor of sin, and quickens the new creation within us to glorious radiance, refracting the very image of Jesus Christ Himself (2 Cor. 3.12-18).

We are not in the darkness, but in the light, as Paul says (Eph. 5.8). Bask in the light! Walk in the light, as He is the Light! Then you will refract the Light of the world through even the most ordinary details of your daily life (1 Cor. 10.31).

A thousand, thousand points of light, driving back the darkness of despair with bright hues of hope! Thus, the Light which is Jesus fills us and our world, making all things new (Eph. 4.8-10; Rev. 21.5).

How will the light of Jesus shine in your Personal Mission Field today?

For Reflection
1. What opportunities for being a point of light will you have today?

2. How should you prepare for that?

Psalm 19.4-6 (St. Christopher: Beneath the Cross of Jesus)
Behold, the sun arises, a bridegroom strong and bright,
rejoicing as he runs his course from morning unto night.
From east to west across the skies his circuit he completes,
and none can hide their sinful eyes or shelter from his heat.

Thank You, Lord, that You are willing to shine in and through me. Let it be so today as I…

Two Good News booklets
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Thank You
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T. M. Moore
Principal
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All Psalms for singing from The Ailbe Psalter. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[1] Bamford, p. 91.