LORD, LIGHT OUR WAY BEFORE US
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“You in Your great compassion did not forsake them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud never turned away from guiding them on their path; and by the night the pillar of fire illuminated the way they should go.” – Nehemiah 9:19
In the wilderness of Paran, the Israelites awake each morning to God’s holy light… the pillar of cloud enveloping His covenant people. Each evening they peacefully sleep in the comforting light of His protective pillar of fire, dispelling the darkness. In this way, God manifests His loving presence to His chosen ones.
When the cloud lifts, the people pack up their camp and follow where it leads. If their trek continues into the night, the fire guides them on their path. Always, His children are reminded that their unchanging God is ever with them on their journey. Theirs is a walk of faith.
“Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” – Matthew 2:2
Many hundreds of years later, another group of wanderers follow by faith God’s holy light in the wilderness. The Magi journey miles and miles in search of the prophesied Messiah. Their path is illuminated by the Christmas star brightly shining in the desert darkness. It guides them to the Christ Child, the newborn King, in the humble town of Bethlehem.
“In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – John 1:4-5
The light of the world, Jesus Christ, has come. Just as these wilderness wanderers before us, our path is a walk of faith. We walk through the wilderness of this world following the light of Christ. His holy light pierces the spiritual darkness that surrounds us… the pervasive evil that encroaches upon us.
“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
Jesus is the light of life. In this verse, He asserts His absolute divinity. He is the great light that has dawned for all people living in darkness (Isaiah 9:2). The ones who are committed to following in His footsteps by faith will live by His light of truth and revelatory knowledge. He will dispel the darkness of sin and ignorance in their lives. In Him is life everlasting.
“For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.” – Psalm 36:9
Jesus is light. In Him, there is no darkness (1 John 1:5). Light biblically symbolizes purity, truth, divine revelation. Darkness symbolizes sin, lack of spiritual awareness, separation from God. Christ is the light that darkness will never overcome. He is the light of life and the light of our lives.
“You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.” – Psalm 18:28
Christ is our Emmanuel, forever with us. His light shines in the lives of all believers, reminding us of His active and dynamic presence. His light illuminates our minds and hearts to the truths of His Word and His will. His light leads us through the world darkened by sin and evil. It is the light of revelation, warning, solace and safekeeping.
“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 4:6
Jesus is the source of wisdom and enlightenment. He is the only true light that combats the gloom of spiritual blindness. As we abide in Him, we are guided along God’s path for our lives… the way to right living. Through Him, we “see light” as He navigates us through the world’s darkness.
“You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:5
Christians are children of the light, made pure, holy by the blood of Jesus. In the hearts where He makes His home, He turns night into day. Jesus has rescued us from the dominion of darkness (Colossians 1:13). He has delivered us from spiritual death. We are now alive in Him… kingdom children for now and all eternity.
“He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him.” – Daniel 2:22
Without Christ, unbelievers live in darkness. They belong to the night. Many seek to navigate through life without heavenly guidance. Separated from God, they attempt to muster up their own faint light to see their way in the dark. Yet only the light of Christ can penetrate the depth of the world’s spiritual darkness.
“When I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.” – Micah 7:8
At times, the darkness of the world may overcome us. When we fall away from God’s path… when we wander in the wilderness… when we stray away from the light of Christ, we need never look far to discover His holy, unchanging presence. For He has not departed from us. We are never alone. What a promise… a phenomenal truth.
Ours is a walk of faith. Faith in our Savior, our King… the One who is omnipotent, omniscient… who rules sovereignly over heaven and earth, light and darkness… yet is ever compassionate and merciful to all who follow hard after Him. He is the light for our spiritual journey. He is the light that has come to save our dark world.
