Reading: John 12:1-35
Movies have been a past time of Americans for many years. It is a way for us to momentarily go into the world the screen writer has imagined and forget about the worries that we have in life. Many movies have a part near the end that speeds up the story bringing your mind to the climax of the plot. It could be that the time is near for something bad to happen to someone and the hero is fighting the clock to get there before it happens. Or it could be a “chick flick” where the man discovers he is madly in love with the lead lady and fights all odds to get to her before she marries another. Whatever the angle is, we are usually peaked to alertness and waiting anxiously to see the outcome.This is how I see the gospel of John in the twelfth chapter. Jesus is lounging with Mary, Martha and Lazarus in their home after the great miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead. They were celebrating the occasion by honoring Jesus with a dinner. Obviously the disciples are with Him since Judas was there also. You can envision them sitting around the dining room discussing this great miracle. Relaxing and enjoying each others company and comments. Then Mary anoints Jesus’ feet with perfume and before you know it Jesus starts talking about His burial. As you continue to read, the anxiousness of the story begins to expand in your mind. You start to realize that the end of Jesus’ time on earth was coming soon and the rumors of plots to kill Him must be about to come true because Jesus, Himself, is talking about dying. The very next day after His visit with Mary, Martha and Lazarus Jesus makes what we refer to as His triumphant entry into Jerusalem riding on the donkey. For those of us familiar with Passion Week, we know that this entry marks less than a week before our Savior dies on the cross for our sins and triumphs over death by rising from the dead three days later.
This is the part of the Scriptures where you can really see that Jesus’ words are preparing His followers to live on earth without Him. He talks extensively after His triumphant entry about how His death will produce life and how the one who follows Him should seek to love the life of eternity and not the life of this world. Jesus showed us this great lesson by example when He followed the direction of His Father even though His heart was troubled as to what He must do. His said in John 12:27-28, “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name!” As the hour drew near, Jesus did pray for “the cup to be removed” but with the substance in mind that God the Father’s will be done before His own desires. (Matthew 23:36-42).
However, the part that sticks out in our passage today is Jesus telling us how we should walk in the light while we can. He, of course, at the time was referring to the fact that He would be with them in person for only a short time, and they should take advantage of His presence while they could, but further into the depth of this statement Jesus is telling them and us today much more. There is urgency for us to not put off walking in Jesus’ light. His light shines in the dark places of our lives and points the way we should go. If we walk in the light, we will be ‘children of the light.’ What does this mean? It means much more than being a child of God! To be a child of the light means that you reflect the light of Jesus to this world by revealing the truth and pointing people to God! We should be His light bearers, letting His light shine through us, for the time of Jesus’ return is soon. The light that we as Christians shine in this world should not be put off until tomorrow to shine, but it should be shining brightly in our lives at this very moment.
Are you allowing God’s light to shine brightly in your life today? Are you choosing to walk in the light of Jesus or walk in the glory of this world? Do you feel the urgency to shine brightly for Christ? I believe the Father tarries in Jesus’ return for the loving purpose of waiting for others to come to Him. So we must follow the example that Jesus set before us: to lay aside our own desires and let the Father’s desires come forth in our lives. This is how we shine brightly for Him. We must allow Him to work through us allowing His glory to shine to this world. In this movie we call life, the unsaved in our lives are the ones who are waiting for the hero to save them. Jesus Christ is that Hero. Don’t delay in shining Christ’s light brightly in your life so they can see the way to Him!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I feel the urgency to be about Your business. I have procrastinated in letting Your light shine in my life by putting my own desires before Your will. I ask forgiveness for this and for Your guidance to overcome. Help me to shine for You so that others may see Your light in my life and be drawn to You. Jesus led the way and I will follow His example. Amen.
