August 01, 2020

A Light in the Dark

John 1:1-5

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

—  John 1:5

The book of John uses the image of light to help explain who Jesus is.

Jesus Christ, the Word of God, created the world with God in the beginning. He also came into the world to save it, because it was broken by the curse of sin and death. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God in Eden, they brought this curse on all of God’s creation (Genesis 3). The world that God once called “good” has been afflicted with conflict, isolation, sickness, and grief ever since. And sin has estranged us from the God who created us. Even worse, no matter how hard we try, we cannot make things right. Our sin continually forms a barrier between us and our Creator.

Maybe you are reading these devotions because you are feeling sin’s effects in your life. Perhaps something has happened that has left you feeling lost or confused. Maybe you feel as if you are groping in the dark, looking for a light to guide your way.

The Bible promises that the darkness you face—whatever it might be—will never overcome the light of Christ. Like a lighthouse on a rocky shore, Jesus offers us hope and a clear path to God.

There is no sin or enemy of God that is big enough to snuff out the light of Christ. He will always be victorious, and if we place our faith in him, he invites us to share in his victory.

Lord, help me to have eyes to see the light of Christ shining in the dark places around me, and fill me with hope in the promise of his victory. Amen.

About the author — A.J. Gretz

Anthony Joseph (A.J.) Gretz is a pastor in Grandville, Michigan. He has also served churches in Ohio and in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He and his wife, Anna, have three children.

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