Focus
As you quiet yourself for this brief time, be willing to be open to God in whatever way that may take place.
Read
John 12:44-50 (NRSV)
Then Jesus cried aloud: “Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness. I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my word has a judge; on the last day the word that I have spoken will serve as judge, for I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me.”
Reflect
I get to work in an academic setting on occasion and there are times when I clearly see the difference between a fundamentally religious world view and secularist world view. Strangely enough, you will find on occasion that those in religious education are committed to a secular view and those in a secular setting will often operate from a religious world view. At its base level, the difference is the ultimate source of knowledge (ethics, truth). Is knowledge constructed or revealed and discovered? Jesus says, “I have come as light into the world so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in darkness.” It seems that Jesus comes to reveal light in a world fumbling around in the darkness. Jesus assumes that knowledge or wisdom is not something that we construct, but rather something that we can discover.
This is not simply to say that once we become Christian, we all of a sudden become some great sage. It does mean that by seeking, knocking, asking, and searching we can discover knowledge, and through the right application become wise. It also means that there is an eternal truth that Jesus Christ says we must adhere to, but he is quick to point out that he only proclaims what he is sent to proclaim. By extension, we who have been given light must remain completely humble in a world where others seek different sources of “light.” Our wisdom comes from above and it is received only by God’s grace. Paul once wrote it this way, “but by the grace of God, I am what I am.”
It is through the practice of witness, as Christ gave us an example, that others receive light and knowledge. Let us commit ourselves to humility and love shedding light in a dark world.
Pray
God, I pray for the condition of the world and the people in it. Let justice roll down, let mercy flow, and love flourish in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen
Go with God!
Leave a Reply
Your email is safe with us.