The Guiding Light

When my wife and I were dating, we would often hop into the car and drive off into the sunset, heading nowhere in particular, an uncharted journey for sure. We enjoyed exploring the city, discovering new places to eat and visit. It was fun in a meaningless kind of way—a simple way to escape from the grind of day-to-day living for a short while anyway.

But the aimless driving always ended up with me pulling over by the side of the road to regain my bearings. I spent the time parked plotting out a better path to take, which usually meant a new itinerary filled with familiar roads.

In 1 John, Jesus Christ is the light that illuminates the darkness and leads us along a path of sanctity and joy. He is the light of God, the light of the world, the light that directs us through the dark tunnels and struggles of life.

With so many false promises vying for our attention in this secularized world, we can easily get wrapped up in the glittering lights of the city, overlooking the wondrous light of Christ. And we can find ourselves veering off course, lost and confused in darkness and blinded to our true destination. Our Lord promises that whoever follows him will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+8%3A12&version=NIV" "target=_blank">(John 8:12).

We need to be intentional about keeping our destination clear, trusting the guiding light of our Savior and the itinerary he has laid out for us. So when we find ourselves lost again, let us pause and turn back toward the light of Christ. It is a light so bright we can perceive his presence as he navigates us through the hazards of this life.

Jesus is the light that never goes out, a light that restores hope and gets us back on course. Let the light of Christ show how much he has in store for each of us.

you Lord, as you have guided me with your divine light, let me also be a source of light that points others to you. Help me cherish your light of life, a light I can always count on to guide me through my dark moments. Amen.

Throughout This Day: Ask God to show you how you can be a transforming light of love and kindness to the people he has placed in your life.