To my eye and spirit, one of the most beautiful things in God’s creation is early morning light. Walking in the quiet morning, just as light drifts through our little village on the hill and before the traffic and noise of the day begins, I almost feel reborn. It is a new day, a new beginning, coming with morning light.

We see nothing without light. Yes, you can live without sight, but how our lives are enriched by the ability to see! I’m convinced sight is like our brain—we use only a small portion of the possibilities.

But even our “seeing” does not show us everything held by light. Light holds life. We may not understand all the chemical processes that sustain life, but we know light is essential for growth and health of living things. Many of us even feel a change in moods dependent on the light; we’re like little plants that constantly turn toward the light, seeking its life-giving rays.

Think about color. We see color constantly; it’s a part of our lives that we don’t stop to think about; yet without light, colors fade and blur. Light holds an unseen cache that splashes into our world. An exquisite rainbow reminds us that light holds much more than we can see. 

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” He was not only the light that showed us God, He is the light that brings life. And His mission was not only to bring life, but to give a rich and satisfying life.

The life Jesus gives is like light, holding and giving more richness and fullness than we can describe or even imagine. If you have been thinking this week about everything Jesus supplies, you are beginning to catch a glimpse of the vibrancy his light brings.

And just as we can’t imagine living in this world without light, I can’t imagine living without the light that leads to life.

For you have rescued me from death, you have kept my feet from slipping.
So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light.

Scripture: John 8:12, John 10:10, Psalm 56:13 (all NLT)