In the light

A few weeks ago I was able to see tobyMac in concert. As some of you may know, he used to be a part of a group called DC Talk. One of my favorite DC Talk songs is “In the Light.” As I was thinking about our topic this week of “Jesus is Light,” this song came to my mind. Here are most of the lyrics:

I keep trying to find a life
On my own, apart from You
I am the king of excuses
I've got one for every selfish thing I do

What's going on inside of me?
I despise my own behavior
This only serves to confirm my suspicions
That I'm still a man in need of a Savior

I wanna be in the Light
As You are in the Light
I wanna shine like the stars in the heavens
Oh, Lord be my Light and be my salvation
Cause all I want is to be in the Light
All I want is to be in the Light

The disease of self runs through my blood
It's a cancer fatal to my soul
Every attempt on my behalf has failed
To bring this sickness under control

Tell me, what's going on inside of me?
I despise my own behavior
This only serves to confirm my suspicions
That I'm still a man in need of a Savior

I wanna be in the Light
As You are in the Light
I wanna shine like the stars in the heavens
Oh, Lord be my Light and be my salvation
Cause all I want is to be in the Light
All I want is to be in the Light

We all find ourselves in the darkness sometimes. Whether it’s a decision we made or a situation we find ourselves in, the darkness can be overwhelming at times. But God desires to bring light even to the darkest of situations. Jesus seeks to save us not just from the world, but also from ourselves. The way out of darkness is simple, but not always easy. But when we decide to take that walk in the light, the love of Christ will wash over us. The apostle John says it like this…

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:5-10)

I wanna be in the light. But walking in the light isn’t always easy. Sometimes it requires difficult decisions and unpopular choices. It may ask us to make sacrifices or call us to challenges. But once we are in the light, we find ourselves in a place that brings us grace and peace. And that is the worth the journey.

shine!
Jason