There’s a Big Difference Between a Puny Flashlight and More Powerful Light

In John 8:12 it says, “I am the Light of the world. So if you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, for living light will flood your path.” (TLB)

We all have dark days. There are dark days of disappointment when dreams crumble and plans fall apart. There are dark days when we’re stressed out by finances or relationships, dark days of disease and divorce and losing a loved one.

When we hit those dark days, we need a guiding light.

When I have a problem I can’t control, I don’t typically turn to God. Instead, I decide that I’ll figure it out on my own. I go back in the recesses of my mind to an emotional chest of drawers and pull out all kinds of little flashlights.

I pull out the flashlight that says “Relationships” and start shining it on my life. I think if this <fill in the blank> would just happen, then life would be great.

When that doesn’t work, I pull out another flashlight that says “Job/Career.” If I could just change jobs, then everything would be right again. But that doesn’t work either.

So we try the “Sex” or “Money” or “Seminar/Self-help” flashlights, hoping to make the way clearer.

And when that doesn’t work, I may even pull out another flashlight that says “Location.” If I could just move to another state or wherever, then things would get better. But then I realize that when I move to another location, I take all of my problems with me—because the biggest problem is inside me.

I don’t need a flashlight. I need the Light. In fact, I need the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.

Jesus is not some puny little flashlight. He is a searchlight! He is a giant, powerful light that lets me see five miles down the road.

In my dark days, I shouldn’t put my trust in the flashlights that depend on my own power. Instead, just flip the switch that turns on God’s light in my life—in other words, have faith. When I tell God that I don’t know which way to go and that I’m feeling unsure and confused, but that I’m going to trust him anyway, that’s faith.

Ask Jesus to help me to trust him, and he will.

“I am the Light of the world. So if you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, for living light will flood your path” (John 8:12 TLB).

In summary, Jesus called himself the light of the world. The pillar of fire represented God's presence, protection, and guidance. Likewise, Jesus brings God's presence, protection, and guidance. I need to make him the light of my world. As his follower I should follow him as a soldier follows his captain. Just as I follow the laws of our nation, so should I follow the laws of the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Now We Know What God Is Like

In John 12:46 it says, “I have come as a Light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer wander in the darkness.” (TLB)

What am I confused about? Maybe today my mind feels muddled about my future, a relationship, finances, work, or health. Whatever is causing me confusion, I need to shine God’s light on it.

Jesus said, “I have come as a Light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer wander in the darkness” (John 12:46 TLB).

Even though I may not have all the answers or don’t fully understand what’s going on, God never meant for me to be in the dark about myself and my life. Most of all, he doesn’t want me to be in the dark about who he is. Jesus Christ came to earth to show us what God is really like.

I can’t relate to an impersonal force in the sky. That’s why God came to earth in human form—so I can understand what he’s like.

Why is that important? Because a lot of my fears and worries and problems are caused by being in the dark about who God is. But when I know what God is like, then I can learn to worry a lot less and as a result be less stressed.

When I don’t know what God’s like, I tend to avoid him. I’m more likely to be afraid of him. As a result, I don’t bring my problems to him and instead try to solve them myself. I can’t love and trust somebody I don’t know!

People often say, “My idea of God is . . .” That means they’re just guessing what God is like. But when it comes to knowing God, we don’t need guesses. We need the truth.

Jesus said in John 14:9, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!” (TLB).

Because of Christmas, I have seen what God is like. I know the truth about who God is because Jesus came into the world the same way I did: by being born.

There are some things about God I would never know unless he became a human. How do I know that God is loving or forgiving or eternal? Because Jesus told us, and he showed us by the way he lived his life.

I don’t have to live in the dark anymore. Jesus came at Christmas to shine a light into every part of my life so I can live in freedom, clarity, and joy.

In summary, we often wonder what God is like. How can we know the Creator when he doesn't make himself visible? Jesus said plainly that those who see him see God, because he is God. If we want to know what God is like, study the person and words of Jesus Christ. 

Make Time for What Matters at Christmas

In Luke 10:41-42 it says, “Martha Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (NIV)

This Christmas, consider doing less, not more. By simplifying life, you and I will have more enjoyment, more fulfillment, and less stress.

At one of the busiest times of the year, we need to make sure we’re filling our calendars, our minds, and our hearts with what’s important—not trivial things that won’t even matter in five years, much less for eternity.

The trivial things I’m talking about are not evil things. I know that I can fill my life with good things that keep me from spending time with God. I can be involved in ministry all the time and be so busy working for God that I don’t leave God any time to work within me.

An example of this can be seen in Mary and Martha, who were sisters and also friends of Jesus. One day they invited him to their home for a meal. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus, listening to his teaching. Martha was busy worrying about the food and making sure everything was in place.

Doesn’t that sound like Christmas? We spend months buying and wrapping gifts, decorating the house, putting up the lights, fixing the tree, sending out cards, preparing meals, and planning parties. Then, when Christmas arrives, I realize that I was so busy with the preparation that I didn’t make any time for Jesus.

“Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her’” (Luke 10:40-42 NIV).

Mary knew there was one thing worth her time: getting to know the Son of God.

Nothing else will matter in eternity. God didn’t put us on earth just to work and then retire. He wants you and I to get to know him. 

So for this Christmas stop, take a breath, and shift focus to the one thing, 

Martha didn't realize that in her desire to serve, she was actually neglecting her guest. Am I so busy doing things for Jesus that I'm not spending time with him? I should not let my service become self-serving. Jesus didn't blame her for being concerned about household chores. He was only asking her to set priorities. Service to Christ can degenerate into mere busywork that is totally devoid of devotion to God.

When it comes to my life and distractions, consider my cell phone. Do I own it or does it own me? If I’ve taken a useful tool and made it the most valuable thing in my life, then my phone has become my god. If I’ve allowed my phone to distract me from what is most important, then it has become my idol. In today’s passages, It illustrates that Martha didn't realize that in her desire to serve, she was actually neglecting her guest.

Am I so busy doing things for Jesus that I'm not spending time with him? I should not let my service become self-serving. Jesus was only asking her to set priorities. Service to Christ can degenerate into mere busywork that is totally devoid of devotion to God. And so, Martha was distracted by her preparations, which kept her from the most important thing: being with Jesus.

In my life I may think I’m focused on the right thing; returning that text, making that call, checking that status, answering that message. But if something keeps me from the most important thing, then it’s taken over my life. I need to continue to sit at Jesus’ feet every day of my life. Confess my wrong-doings and ask God for what I need. Praise him for who he is. It’s the most important part of my day because it affects everything else. The average person spends three hours and 15 minutes on their phone each day. In my case, how much time do I spend on the phone versus being in God’s Word? I shouldn’t let myself get distracted. I have control over how I spend my time. So this Christmas I want to keep this in mind and choose to spend it on what matters most. 

God’s Plan Is Good, but Not Always Convenient

In Luke 2:4-6 it says, “Joseph went from Nazareth, a city in Galilee, to a Judean city called Bethlehem . . . Joseph went there to register with Mary. She had been promised to him in marriage and was pregnant. While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have her child.” (GW)

God’s plan for my life is good. It’s for my benefit. It’s a loving plan. But it doesn’t mean it’s painless, and it doesn’t mean it’ll always be convenient.

This was particularly true with Jesus’ birth. The circumstances were hardly convenient for Mary and Joseph. The Bible tells us, “At that time, the Emperor Augustus ordered a census of the Roman Empire . . . So Joseph went from Nazareth, a city in Galilee, to a Judean city called Bethlehem . . . Joseph went there to register with Mary. She had been promised to him in marriage and was pregnant. While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have her child” (Luke 2:1, 4-6 GW).

As they prepared to face their role as parents to the Son of God, Mary and Joseph heard that Caesar issued a census, and everybody had to go back to their ancestral town.

Let’s put that in perspective: If tomorrow the government made a rule that required every single person to go back to the town they were from—all at the same time—it would cause chaos! Every plane, train, and automobile would be booked. Every highway would be filled. It would be incredibly frustrating and remarkably inconvenient.

Now try navigating that chaos nine months pregnant. Imagine how inconvenient it would be to travel by donkey to another city when you’re ready to give birth at any moment. That’s what Mary did. Then, when she finally got to Bethlehem, she had to deliver her baby in a barn, surrounded by a bunch of animals.

None of the circumstances around Jesus’ birth were convenient. But they were part of God’s plan. It had been long foretold that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. The inconveniences to get them there were part of a bigger plan for Joseph and Mary, one that was better than they could have ever dreamed.

Joseph and Mary trusted God through their discomfort and fear. I, too, can trust that all the things God does in my life are because he knows best. He might use some inconveniences to get me where I need to be, but he is always working for my good and working out his purposes in my life.

Sometimes I think to myself, "I'm being obedient, so why aren't things going better?" I face discomfort or inconvenience and immediately think either I have misread God's will or that God has made a mistake. But consider this quiet couple as they headed toward Bethlehem. God did not soften Joseph's bumpy road, but strengthened him. God did not provide a luxurious inn for Joseph and Mary, but brought his Son into the world in humble surroundings. When I do God's will, I am not guaranteed comfort and convenience. But I am promised that everything, even discomfort and inconvenience, has meaning in God's plan. He will guide me and provide all that I need. Like Joseph, I need to live each day by faith, trusting that God is in charge.

In my own life, God has used many inconveniences to get me where he wants me to be today. I’m convinced that God will use anything that takes place in my life, whether of my own doing or as the result of someone else's. He uses these things to build or test my character. I find myself very fortunate to now better understand my purpose for being here on earth.  All the things that have happened or opportunities that have come about and even my resources have been provided by him so that I can pursue the purpose and the goal he has for my life.

 

Knowing Who I Am Will Lower My Stress

In 1 John 3:1 it says, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (NIV)

We are all living in stressful times. More than ever, we need to learn resilience so that we can do what God has called us to do. That’s why the first step to being resilient is to remember how much God loves us. That’s the antidote to stress!

Part of fulfilling our purpose is becoming more like Jesus. And Jesus had no doubt in his mind that God the Father loved him. He talked about it over and over in verses like John 10:17, which says, “The Father loves me” (NLT).

Knowing and remembering that God has unconditional, extravagant, continuous, and never-ending love for me, just like he did for Jesus, is the foundation of a resilient life. As Paul says, “I am convinced that neither death nor life . . . nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39 NIV). I can be resilient, knowing that I can never be separated from God’s love.

We may be thinking, “Well, of course God loves Jesus. That’s his Son.” But did you know that Jesus says the same thing about his love for us as God’s daughter or son? In John 15:9-10, Jesus says, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love” (NIV).

Understanding how much God loves me is the basis of my personal security. If I’m not convinced that God loves me at all times—unconditionally and completely—then I’m going to be easy prey for the disapproval of others. I’m going to be a people pleaser.

But when I’m secure in who I am as God’s child—when I understand and accept how God feels about me—then I can face difficult times with confidence and less stress.

When I need to be reminded of how much God loves me, I can just look at his Word.

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1 NIV). 

As a believer, my self-worth is based on the fact that God loves me and calls me his child. I am his child now, not just sometime in the distant future. Knowing that I am his child should encourage me to live as Jesus did.