Scripture: John 3:16-19 (ESV)

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

Reflection

“Goodnight, Tim” is what I heard every night as my mom began walking to the door to turn my bedroom light off. It was the moment of the day I would dread the most and to be honest, most times I would hop out of bed as soon as she was gone and flip on the switch so I could see. But as I got older, I realized that the longer I laid in darkness, the quicker my eyes would adjust.

In this passage, Jesus is having a conversation with a man named Nicodemus who is trying to understand what Jesus had been teaching about. Jesus begins to teach Nicodemus about the power of the Spirit and how the motive for everything from God is love. Towards the end, Jesus says in short, “Light has come into the world but darkness is loved more than the light…” 

As I reflect on my younger days of sitting in my dark bedroom, I realize there is a spiritual application to what Jesus was saying. In the same way our eyes adjust to the darkness as time passes, we as people also get accustomed to the darkness of sin. We get so adjusted to it that the light of Jesus becomes disruptive to our comfort. 

In verse 16, Jesus says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Because of the love of God, the light of Jesus was brought to this world so we can move toward the light. We no longer have to sit in the darkness we’ve adjusted to. We can become the children of light we were all created to be. 

All we have to do is, “Flip on the switch.”

Reflection Questions

• What in your life have you let sit in darkness for far too long? 
• How can you bring those things into the freeing and healing light of Christ?

 

Soul Care Practice

Morning
Become aware of God’s loving presence and imagine Jesus saying these words to you: “Light has come into the world…” Talk with Jesus about any thoughts, reflections, challenges, and emotions that come up within you. How can you embody these words and follow Christ in your home, neighborhood, and workplace? 

Evening
Read Jesus’ words again slowly: “Light has come into the world…” How did these words shape and guide you today? Pray your thoughts, desires, needs, struggles, and joys from today. As you go to bed, rest in God’s presence. 

 

Blessing

“I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand-I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people.'” (Isaiah 51:16)

 

Written by Tim Mahan, Fellowship Monrovia High School Pastor