Section 1: The Light of the World
I live about a mile from our town square, which marks the middle of our almost-too-cute Main Street. At Christmas time, the whole town turns almost overnight. We have an actual annual festival where carolers dress in Dickensian-era costumes and people drink cider and cocoa while they wander through brightly-decorated shops. It’s a little Stars Hollow, a little Bedford Falls, and a whole lot of fun.
The crowning moment every season, though, is the lighting of the Christmas tree. It stands forty feet tall, right in the middle of the town square. And on the night it is finally lit, the holiday magic in the air is palpable. Every night for the next several weeks, my family goes out of our way to drive through the square on the way home to catch a glimpse of forty feet of perfect, sparkling white lights. When we drive by it, I take a deep breath and try to fill my lungs, my head, and my heart with the sweetness of the season.
Advent feels like a pause, a necessary detour every year, to fill my heart with hope. And the lights which pierce the darkness are a physical reminder of the hope that Christ brought into a dark world. Advent is so necessary because the world is so dark, and we cling to the sweet aroma of Christ to awaken our deadened senses. In 2 Corinthians 4:4, Paul wrote “the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.” The gods of this age, all rooted in our self-serving sin, blind us so easily: fame, influence, war, disunity, greed, power that leads to injustice, and more. As believers we are tempted by sin and we fumble through the darkness, but we can cling to the light of Christ.
This is the message Jesus gives us in John 12: that He is the Light of the World, and that whoever believes in Him will not remain in darkness. It’s not a passive statement for us, but a call to believe. Jesus and Paul both remind us in today’s readings that the call to belief comes from God. God calls us to the light, Jesus brings us into the light, and the Holy Spirit enables our presence as people of the light. After all, God brought light into the world first.
We can’t find our way out of the darkness alone. We can’t light the way for ourselves or for others, no matter what the gods of the age or our sinful hearts tell us. The way out of the darkness is Christ alone. The Light of the World is Christ alone.
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89 thoughts on "The Source of Light and Life"
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Praying for you
Jesus born on this day he is the light of the world king of all nations.
GrowingFaith…praying
The light of the world is Christ alone! He is the only way out the darkness.
Praying for you Lizzy.
I’m a light chaser
I have a very similar issue with my child! How old is Hannah? You have just made me realize that I need to go to God in prayer about the situation, it’s easy to think certain things in life are trivial and come up with our own solutions, but nothing is out of God’s reach
Thank you. I cannot find my way out of the darkness alone. Jesus is the Light – and He guides me out. ❤️
Have you tried bedtime rituals, a warm lavender bath, calming music (Bethel Music has 2 albums called Peace that are like worship lullabies, reassuring).? Praying Hannah will experience the calm and relaxation that lead to blissful rest at night!!
This was me as a child! But more stomachaches— looking back now it was definitely anxiety but I’m praying for your sweet Hannah you both deserve rest!
Lizzy Butterfield I am praying for you and Hannah for good rest and answers.
Rhonda J and CeeGee and everyone who prayed for me THANK YOU. I felt lighter than I have in a few days now and really felt God’s presence and His peace. Prayer is powerful I am so blessed to be a part of this community of praying women.
Not sure how many of you are in the tornado ravaged area but from tornado ally here in Alabama you have our heartfelt sympathy and prayers for you despair, wonder and heart ache. Hold tight the Lord is there, maybe hard to see right now but it will come. Find a quiet place and breathe if only for a few moments, utilize breath prayer, and know there are prayers through out the country for you.
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Amen
The picture we have of the Trinity and light!!! I love it
Love this message.
This focus on the LIGHT has been so encouraging and enLIGHTening! Your comments bear that out! As I read the Scriptures this morning, I was drawn to John 12:49-50, 2 Cor. 4:3 and 6, and Rev.1:16-18.
GWINETH52, I love the quote that you shared!
ERB, so thankful for your energy to share your wonderful insight!
Adding my prayers for VICTORIA E., GROWING FAITH, KENTUCKY, and continued prayers for TRACI, MARTHA, MELANIE and all the other ongoing prayer needs.
Also, I would love to visit this town that was mentioned in our devotional! It sounds like a hallmark movie!!
I pray that I would be a light to those around me during this dark season. I know that I can’t be the light without the help of Jesus; I fall short so many times. I was so thankful for our message at church yesterday; we don’t have to be enough, because Jesus already is. This is an encouraging statement for me.
More pretty presents to unwrap under the Shes Christmas tree, as I linger still under the lights of our 2020 Advent Study Book…slowing down to savor the lovely things Shes shared in comments last season. Day 16, from devotional writer, Bailey Gillespie: “Love intermingled with anxiety & fear is imperfect, incomplete & the antithesis of why God came to earth, which was to make us whole in His Love.” Isn’t He a good God? Isn’t He good at being God? Isn’t He always at work, not just at Christmastime? Filling Love-Hungry hearts. Have a Wonder-full week!
Amen!
I listened to the podcast this morning on my bike ride! It was really good, you SHE’s should try to listen! So many good truths!
@Victoria E.- praying for you still. I know it must be hard sorting through the many feelings and anticipation.
Praying for your sister as well Growing Faith, and sorry for the loss of your other sister and neice.
Praying for my Kentucky friends. So grateful my dad and other relatives are ok.
In the podcast, during the hard times and struggles, it is “a platform to show God’s greatness!” Amen and Amen. Let that always be our goal, to shine God’s light and his greatness!
Amen
The way out of Darkness is Christ alone, AMEN.
So grateful for the nature of Christ that is constant and unchanging – like a lighthouse in the darkness that is faithful to guide weary travelers home.
GROWING FAITH praying for your sister, the baby & your family!!
KRISTEN I Loved what you wrote!!! SO good!!
RHONDA – Thank you so much for sharing the song “Praise You in this Storm”. And it brings me to tears knowing you stopped and prayed for me. Thank you!
Thankful for all your comments and prayers. Praying for all requests. Love to you all ❤️
Growing faith- praying for your sister and baby, and your family. Melanie praying that you would experience the light sending away the darkness. Katie Ritter praying for you and everyone affected by these tornadoes. ERB thank you for the extra scripture references, your insights are amazing as always. Mari V thank you for sharing the tv/ movie references, I was very confused ! I pray for your continued recovery. Sisters if I can also ask for prayer- many of you know our journey to conceive. As I approach the third trimester (which incidentally starts around Christmas for me!) I am filled with awe and gratitude but also I feel the enemy really trying to steal my peace about everything related to this great gift God has given us. I have faith that God will do as I heard Him tell me at the start of this process, but ladies the attack on my peace of mind gets tiring and I need your prayers very much. Thank you in advance ❤️
“… commending ourselves before God to everyone’s conscience by an open display of the truth” (2 Cor 4:2). As we have our holiday gatherings, may each one of us be an open display of the Truth. May we, by word and deed, point them to Jesus.
Yes, I get the books as well. They help so much with the study.
GROWING FAITH – Praying for you sister.
LORI – What a beautiful way to describe the light, coming through the clouds. You are right it is beautiful. The darkness does not hold that same beauty. Only the stars, which are light.
So many have said that the holidays will be so hard for me this year. Losing my only son so close to them. I think differently. Especially doing this Advent study. I’m focusing on God and His light. Not the normal routine of Christmas celebrations. We have slowed down. I just want to be in His presence. The rest doesn’t matter all that much.
Those last two paragraphs Melanie wrote really have so much meaning in so few words. “God calls us to the light, Jesus brings us into the light, and the Holy Spirit enables our presence as people of the light.” This sentence is the one that really grabbed me and will stick with me. I had never thought of it like that. I’ll be writing it on an index card and put it where I can read it frequently and I’ll be passing it on. John 12:46 ” I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.” Also grabbed my attention this morning. I don’t know why but of all the verses this is the one that really “struck a cord” with me.
Sisters, have a great day, be blessed and shine your light bright.
I needed this reminder. I’ve been desperately needing His word. My soul has been hungry and thirsty. But I’ve been wandering around in the dark searching for other things to fulfill that need. Toddy I was reminded that He came and sacrificed so that I don’t have to wander in the dark. I don’t have to question what I need. He is the light.
Jesus is the light in our lives.. we must always try to walk towards that light. Whenever we want life and light in our lives.. we want Jesus. Let us all today, get on our knees and worship him ❤️❤️. Everything we are is for Him!
Have a great day sisters, God loves you
Joining your prayers Sharon Jersey girl. Praying with you Katie for all those devastated by the tornado. God ne near. So much in scripture today. ERB, thank you for all your insights always a blessing. So much in God’s word. Thanlful we can meet daily with our God who saves, sees, and has such grace for us. Love to you All. Traci, keeping you in my prayers, may you feel His peace holding you in amazing ways.
Thank Jesus for your perfect ways, your perfect love , your perfect truth
Good Morning gals; I loved reading about The Light of the World today and reflecting on how Jesus is the source of light in the world we live in. The reflection and prayer prompts help me process. This fall, I was in a study on Exodus and was struck again in Exodus 10:21-23, that while all of Egypt was in darkness for 3 days, the Israelites were not. It’s a great picture of the truth that we have the light with us to carry into this dark world. Praying to be that light with the power of the Spirit within me. Lifting up the prayer requests here.
I have been so blinded by the god of this age. I was depressed and lacking joy. Thanks to God’s Word discussed in this study I am starting to see the light. Time to rise and shine. In Jesus name I pray.
Amen
This is what hit me, too!
Last night, I watched a Hallmark movie a new Godwink one. I found it very inspiring as they lit the Advent candles. Maybe someone watching would wonder and search what this is about and come to Jesus our true Light of the World.
“God calls us to the light, Jesus brings us into the light and the Holy Spirit enables our presence as people of the light.” What a beautiful picture of the trinity working as one for us!
This stuck out for me as well!
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Stars Hollow – Gilmore Girls. Bedford Falls – It’s A Wonderful Life! Love this Melanie! We already have a lot in common.
Jesus came as a light into the world, so that we could believe and no longer abide in darkness. Yet so many refuse to believe. So many still reject Him. The “gods of this world” have blinded them. Oh that they might see, believe and receive Jesus for He alone is the way, the truth and the life…My daily prayer for the lost, that God would “open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus [Me].” Acts 26:18
@Growing Faith – praying that God will protect your sister’s health and the baby’s and that He will take away all fear and give you and your sister peace.
@Melanie – praying that God will remove those feelings of being surrounded by darkness. May it help you to know that your sisters here are praying for you. May His peace be upon you today.
@Katie – I can not even begin to imagine what it is like for your community and others that have been devastated by this tornado. I have praying for all since I first heard. Praying for miracles – that people would still be found alive! And that the love of Christ would be extended, and that His light will shine through the darkness of this tragedy.
Praying for you and your community as you process the destruction, the loss of life, and the loss of your “normal.” God will walk you through this and comfort you as only He can.
Praying over your dear family! That’s so scary. Jesus will you protect this woman and her unborn child. I pray for a safe delivery and peace over the entire family.
All I can say is WOW! Along with the posted scriptures I also read all of John chapters 14 and 15 as well as all of Revelation chapter 1 & the first few verses of Revelation chapter 2. If you have time, I would DEFINITELY RECOMMEND reading them!! There is a LOT in there… SO many nuggets!!!
I also wanted to point out John 14:30 and 2 Corinthians 4:4 as they both talk about the “god of this age/ruler of the world” both descriptions are talking about satan. The surrounding verses talk about how GOD overcomes him!! It brings in so much clarity, and is awesome stuff to reflect on and know!!
Something else that really stood out and impacted me was ‘asking in Jesus Name’ (John 14:14).
I have reflected on this before, but not with the insight I got today.. We have all asked and prayed for things.. but have we really STOPPED and ASKED in HIS name? Today the Holy Spirit showed me that asking for something in JESUS’ name means we have to KNOW the Father!!! Jesus IS the Father and HE dwells WITH us and IN us, IF we let Him!!! This means knowing His names and their meanings, knowing His Word, His Son, His Holy Spirit, His statutes, His ways, His faithfulness, His justice, His grace, His mercy, His love… I could go and on… Knowing these things gives us CONFIDENCE!!! There is a ton of POWER when we ‘ask in His name’ we just need to be “tapped in” letting Him DWELL within us, so HE can work IN and THROUGH us!! (Wow. I need to seek and know Him way more than I do!!) Great stuff!! But a LOT to meditate on there!!
John 15:26-27 ties in with Revelation 1:16..
John 15:26-27 says (Jesus speaking) “When the Counselor comes, the One I will send to you from the Father—the SPIRIT of TRUTH who proceeds from the Father—He will testify about Me. 27 You also will testify, because you have BEEN WITH ME from the beginning.” (emphasis mine)
Revelation 1:16 says “…a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth..”
TRUTH. Ever notice how when it is spoken.. things that don’t want to hear it react/attack and when that effect doesn’t work, it then flees?! Wow!! Definitely something to reflect on!! God wants us to stand in the TRUTH, and to understand that He IS Truth!! Wow!! So convicting!! He wants and desires us to have ears to HEAR and eyes to SEE!!
Revelation 2:7 “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”
Lord, Help me to hear and to see You in everything!!!
Thank You Father God for these revelations, help & teach me to live in them! For You and for YOU alone!!! Amen.
It’s so beautiful and appropriate to focus on the light. We do it everytime we get out of bed in the middle of the night, to guide our footsteps, to use the bathroom (if you’re older like me, lol), we flip on the light upon entering a dark room.; I hang stained glass in my window to catch and reflect the light. We even use our car headlights to ‘be seen better’ when it is even not dark out. All day long, now, we are reminded of the Light of the World, and I love it.
Amen
I woke up from an anxious dream and anxiety. This helped me and feeling that pause is so much needed. Thank you for the reminder.
I love everything about today’s study! Advent is and should be a pause… However it is often a very busy time of year and takes discipline to pause in the light of Christ. Thank you for reminding me.
May we all pause and take in the sweetness of the season! What a great reminder. Happy Christmas. ♥️
Praying right now
A good reminder that we don’t need to judge the unbelievers, but allow the Holy Spirit to do His work and He will reveal Himself to those who He calls when He is ready. I need to remember to cling to His sweet aroma so that I can be light that shines for him. And remember that this battle we fight is not against flesh and blood(the people who don’t know Christ yet) but against Satan. Lord help me to keep my eyes on Your light and the hope You bring.
May The Light pierce through the darkness and The Truth of Christ’s love shine on you. ❤️
Good morning. Jesus is the light! He also puts people in our life to remind us of that light. I am truly blessed to have strong Christian women in my life to remind me of His light. I love you both, sisters!
@Thes – I have the book and tomorrow starts Section 2! I was surprised it didn’t fall on a Sunday/Monday, but get ready! :)
Advent definitely feels like a sacred pause to me. I hadn’t thought about it like that before, as it’s usually defined as a period of waiting and anticipation. But a pause, too… yes. A pause that is essential in our lives, one I look forward to with such anticipation each year. I love how Melanie says this: “Advent is so necessary because the world is so dark, and we cling to the sweet aroma of Christ to awaken our deadened senses.” We’re so tired at the end of each year, and here we have this tremendous gift at the end—a celebration, a renewal, a birth. An awakening. I love this!
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Father God thank you for Your Call. Jesus than You for salvation when I answered. Holy Spirit thank You for enabling me to live in that Light every day. Amen
Good morning ladies! I am from the western part of Kentucky where the horrible tornadoes hit on Friday night. My heart is heavy for the entire community. So much devastation. Please be in prayer for SO many families.
Praying for your sister, GrowingFaith! ❤️
@GrowingFaith, praying for your sister, baby,you, and whole family. Praying wisdom for the doctors and staff. Praying protection and health.
Please tell her to advocate for herself strongly. She knows her body. My sister too had an unknown clotting disorder. She went in with stroke symptoms. The doctor missed it. By God’s grace, by His miracle, we still have my sister and her beautiful daughter. I pray the same for your sister. Praying!
@growing faith praying for your sister.
We live in the in between celebration:
He has come!
AND
He will come!
I was surprised by reaction to the description of the glorified Jesus – my heart leapt. Honestly, oftentimes the mornings with my Bible turn into me “getting it done” because I want to be disciplined. This time of year though my heart becomes more tender. God, keep me tender to you truth and love. Give me childlike wonder at your Light come down. You have pierced the darkness. I cannot wait to see you face-to-face.
When I think about light shining in darkness, it gives me the image of the actual sun’s rays shining through the clouds. Darkness does not have that beauty, it does not have the rays that can shine through and illuminate but our Jesus can. My word for 2021 was “servant” and it reinforces that He is truly Lord and we are only servants – He is the only way, the truth, the life. As His servant I can trust a master that is good, faithful and trustworthy.
I love the imagery that Christmas lights are a reminder of Jesus’ light that pierces through the darkness. So thankful we do not walk in darkness even though it feels like it sometimes. Our only hope is in Jesus! May I cling to him more in this Advent season!
@Growing Faith praying for you and your sister!
I’m so thankful for Jesus’ light in my life. May I let it shine so that others may see Him. @Growing Faith I’m praying for your sister & for you.
Paul wrote, “we have this ministry because we were shown mercy.” Let the mercy I have received be the fuel for the light I shine to those around me.
GROWING FAITH – praying the doctors have wisdom and your family has peace. Keep us posted!
ZURI BERG – praying the light of Christ shines even more brightly as you continue in His Word.
Praying for those in KY. Lord have mercy and send comfort and help to those who have suffered such devastation.
Growing Faith, I’ll be praying for your sister and family!
I’m praying
Thes, I have the study book, and Section 2, People of the Light, starts tomorrow.
Since we’ve started this study i have notice alot changing in my heart. I use to not really like the holidays bc of how much my family made it so much. But I’m finding its meaning more to me this year.
Praying for your sister @growing faith. I feel surrounded by darkness It feels hard to move. I want joy so bad. I want to feel the presence of Jesus
@Growing Faith, I am sending prayers to your sister, her baby, and your family.
God is our light and hope, help me to focus on this in times of darkness.
Growing Faith, praying peace to your family and faith that God is good and will protect and keep your sister.
Melanie wrote: Advent is so necessary because the world is so dark, and we cling to the sweet aroma of Christ to awaken our deadened senses. In 2 Corinthians 4:4, Paul wrote “the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.” The gods of this age, all rooted in our self-serving sin, blind us so easily: fame, influence, war, disunity, greed, power that leads to injustice, and more. As believers we are tempted by sin and we fumble through the darkness, but we can cling to the light of Christ.
Some blatantly denounce God, while others don’t know they are lost. Praying that God, in His mercy, would draw all unbelievers and the lost to the Him. I pray that their eyes would be opened and that they will see the enemy and his cohorts for what they are. Praying that they would understand that nothing here is worth an eternity of torment. I pray that they get an understanding of what separation from God really entails and that they absolutely would not want that. I pray that they would be convicted, repent and see the depths of their sins. I pray that they would be drawn by God using any means necessary. I pray that they would be changed and love God instead of the what has their allegiance now. I pray that they would be amazed that God provided the Way for forgiveness and salvation. I pray that they will be forever changed and saved. Amen.
Good morning, Shes. I am thankful for this study. I pray we all fix our eyes on the Light, today, not letting our gaze rest on darkness, but Truth. Thankful to be changed by Him.
If you have a moment, please pray for my sister. She is pregnant with a blood-clotting disorder and is having pain in her legs. 22 years ago, almost to the day, my other sister died from a blood clot while pregnant with the same disorder. It’s scary for her and for all of us, but I’m trying to replace my worry with fervent prayer.
Praying!!
Throughout this season of Advent I keep coming back again and again to the image of Jesus shattering the darkness. HE is the light we all seek and I pray we focus our hope on him during this season and the new year to come. May he receive all praise.
@Thes tomorrow begins section 2 “People of the Light”. I was listening to the podcast yesterday as I was driving home and they talked about it.
Wishing everyone the simple things this season: peace, hope and love. Thank you all for sharing your lives and your faith. Have a wonderful day.
He has shone in our hearts, opened our eyes, so we can see the light of the glory of God. Now, let us no longer go back to walking in the darkness. Let us walk in the light, for the Source of life and light is with us.
May I ask whyou we are still only in Section 1: The Light of the World? Not that I don’t love it here but just curious abouto the rest and went they will come.
Lots of love