Follow the Light

Jesus spoke to the people, He said, “I AM the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” – John 8:12

Have you ever noticed that when you walk into a grocery store there are unbelievable sales everywhere?  Pineapples are only ninety-nine cents each?  Incredible!  Chocolate brownies are half off!  Before you even look at your grocery list, pineapples and brownies have miraculously landed your shopping cart.  This happens to me all the time.

Each and every day we are being enticed to spend our money, time, and effort in hundreds of different ways.  Commercials constantly stream over radio, TV, phone, and computers.  We think we’re tuning all these distractions out, but are we really?  Is their influence be greater than we realize?

I believe it’s easy for us to fall asleep in our faith and become oblivious to who or what is actually enticing us and luring us away from Jesus’ light.  Before we know it, we wake up and find ourselves surrounded by darkness.

Play these scenarios out in your mind… How do you picture each one ending?

• A woman whose husband travels frequently misses him greatly.  At night when her loneliness is painful, she jumps on Facebook to chat with an old boyfriend whose wife died recently.  Their friendship is rekindled by supporting each other through their loss and pain.  Of course they should stay at the same hotel for their high school reunion. 

• She’s been working so hard at her stressful job.  The hours are long and draining.  At night she just wants to relax and unwind before bed.  Of course a few glasses of wine will help her find peace and rest.  It works!  Wine becomes her new best friend.  She invites co-workers to Happy Hours during the week, attends parties on the weekend, and keeps a few bottles in her trunk just in case.

• Her New Year’s Resolution is to lose ten pounds.  She shops smart, eats healthy, and exercises daily.  Just like that, ten pounds vanishes and the positive comments multiply.  She looks in the mirror and sees another ten pounds that can go.  Of course she should ramp up her exercise and eat even less. Like magic, she loses more weight!  The voice in her head telling her to lose even more gets louder and louder.

How do these stories unfold?  In my mind, I see tragic endings and the enemy rejoicing. All three scenarios had two key words used to entice and lure her away: “of course.”  That’s what the enemy does.  He takes our deepest desires, twists them with his lies, and lures us into his darkness.  

But Jesus, who is the Light of the World, wants to shine His light into our lives and lead us into God’s truth.  

• Jesus wants to comfort us when we’re lonely. The enemy tempts us to ruin relationships and destroy families. 

• Jesus wants us to find peace and rest in His presence.  The enemy tempts us to tangle ourselves up in addictions.

• Jesus wants us to find our true identity as His beloved.  The enemy tempts us by telling us we’re not enough and not worthy of unconditional love.  

God promises that if we follow Jesus, we will not walk in darkness.  Let God’s truths be a guiding light to your path.  Step by step follow the Light of the World and you will shine bright, bringing great glory to God as you stay the course and resist the “of course” lies.  

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement