21 Days of Prayer - John 12 - Dark and Light

I was blessed with a special father. He was a great leader. People were drawn to him. He was one of the funniest people I have ever known. In many ways, he was the most important influence in my life growing up. But when it came to waking his son up for school in the mornings, the man was ruthless!

I can remember him coming into my room and telling me it was time to get up to catch the bus. He had different ways for getting me up. Sometimes he would just come in a plug my nose. Other times, he would pull one hair out of my head (ouch!) and then stick it up my nose. He would shake me, call my name and sometimes sing little songs. All of these met with my not-so-cheery morning resistance. But one technique was especially effective for getting me out of bed. He would simply come in and turn on the light.

That bright light that hung from the ceiling over my bed was my enemy. Its brilliance brought nightmares to my sweet dreams. It caused me to squint, moan and complain all while trying to seize a few more minutes of sleep. But the truth is that his shenanigans always were successful in getting my day up and running.

Jesus speaks of His teachings as being the same kind of wake up call. In John 12:46 He says, “I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the darkness.” Jesus came to bring light to our darkness. When you and I need to see clearly, the answer lies in Him.

But the truth is, we don’t always like the light. I know that I didn’t the first thing in the morning. And, sometimes, the light of the truth is hard to look at. But today, if you will open yourself up to Him, Jesus will enlighten you to the truth in your life.

Don’t run from the light. If you are in a place of personal darkness today, open up yourself to let Jesus shine in your heart. Take some time to read John 12. Spend a few extra minutes today not just telling God about your struggles, but really listen to what He has to speak to your spirit. As you move through this day, ask Jesus to enlighten you to His will and to give you the strength to live life to the full.