Light is easily taken for granted until it is gone, then we realize how important it is to us. We know that simple tasks become very difficult (if not impossible) in the dark.

Nicodemus came to see Jesus in the darkness of night. He was complimented for it when Jesus said to Him, “whoever lives by the truth comes to the light…” (John 3:21). To come to Jesus is to come into the Light.

When Judas did his terrible deed, he went out into the darkness of night. (John 13:30) John speaks of Jesus as being the Light of Life. He also makes it clear that living in light, or darkness, is our choice.

Living in darkness is not natural to us. We look for the light. When the electricity is off the electric company is overwhelmed with complaints. Spiritual darkness is not because there is no light. God has given us all the light we need. Perhaps we need to let it shine in our lives again.

Jesus said, “People love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.” A moth is attracted to the light; a roach scurries away when the light comes on. We choose what kind of person we want to be.

Like the moth, Nicodemus came out of the darkness into the light. The gospel tells us that when Jesus died, the light of life was temporarily extinguished, and the world became dark. John wrote that Joseph of Arimathea buried the body of Jesus, and that “he was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night.” He had become a candle in the darkness because he had been with Jesus.

What about you and me? Will our light continue to shine in the darkness until the Light of Heaven returns in glory? When we take a trip, Pat always packs a flashlight. When a storm is approaching, she gets her light. May we too never face a storm, or take a step on this journey, without the Light of Christ.

“The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin,
The Light of the world is Jesus!
Like sunshine at noonday, His glory shone in;
The Light of the world is Jesus!”