“Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, “I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.” – John 8:12 CEV
In addition to my daily devotionals, I have been reading a daily nature almanac that belonged to my dad. In the margin of the page for January 21 he had written a note about the birth of the first lamb of the season. Its mother was identified only by her number, but the lamb he named Bullseye because it had a patch around one eye (kind of like the old Target mascot). Dad noted that Bullseye was big and active. The birth of a lamb is a beautiful thing.
I had forgotten that we ever bred to lamb so early. Our barn isn’t heated. And lambing often happens in the dead of night when the cold is at its worst. Nobody wants to get out of bed and help deliver a lamb in January. For the mother and lamb, it’s even worse. Bullseye probably would have succumbed to the cold were it not for a light hung above him. Under the warmth of that heat lamb, Bullseye was dried off and began to nurse. The light meant the difference between life and death.
You probably have a more sophisticated heating system to warm your home in January. But all of us need a light that gives life. And that light is Jesus, the light of the world. Under the light of Jesus we live and thrive. Without Jesus it’s just a cold harsh world. But under the warmth of his love the world is a beautiful place.
We’ve made it through what is historically the coldest week of the year. We’ll still have some cold days yet this winter, but the light of Christ is there to warm all of us – no matter what the temperature is outside. May His light shine upon you this week.
In Christ,
Pastor Mark
(Hope to see you Tuesday, JAN 28, 7:00p for our Church Conference/State of the Church event!)