A Light in the Darkness

Since the time change, it’s dark or nearly so by the time I get home in the afternoon; that means I’m riding my bike several miles after dusk. The first few times I did so, I was more than a little unnerved—animals often appear out of seemingly nowhere and objects in the road just jump into view. However, I have a couple powerful headlights to dispel the darkness, and with the powerful beams, I easily see animals, road debris, parked cars, and other hazards in plenty of time to react safely. Honestly, cars are more readily visible at night than in the day thanks to their headlights. While my wife insists I confine myself to the sideroads around Deer Park instead of highways at night, I’m starting to enjoy my night rides—it’s easy to see and to be seen.

You, too, know the great value of light in the darkness. You’re wise enough to use headlights when you’re driving at night. How often do you leave your porch light on so that you can easily see to get into the house after dark? When you get home, you turn lights on so that you can effortlessly move around your home.

The greatest light, however, is the Lord Jesus Christ. John the Baptizer “came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him” (Jn 1:7-10).

As a light in the darkness, Jesus’s example showed us how “to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” (Tit 2:12). Jesus’s teaching illuminated the way to God and eternal life in him. Jesus’s death shone a light on the horrors of sin and the righteous judgment of Almighty God. Jesus’s resurrection destroyed the darkness of death “until the day dawns and the morning star rises in [our] hearts” (2 Pet 1:19).

Sure, the lights on my bike are nice and allow me to ride well past sundown. However, my headlights only illuminate physical dangers on the road. Jesus, the true light, though, illuminates the dangers of the realms below and leads me to eternal life in his Father.

This article was originally written by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr., for the weekly newsletter at Church of Christ Deer Park in Deer Park, Texas.