Dark conditions often make many people uncomfortable. According to many people, when it is dark we cannot predict or guess what is happening around us. A sense of insecurity arises from this thought. So it is natural that dark conditions are used to describe gloom, suffering, uncertainty, and various bad things that happen in reality. Even if we remember a few months ago, the hashtag "dark Indonesia" appeared on social media to express how pessimistic people were about the condition of Indonesia. Meanwhile, at the end of this year we are invited to return to the tension between the two poles, light and darkness. As we anxiously wonder whether the future will be plagued by endless dark clouds, or whether there will be a bright ray of God's hope to light our way.
John 8:12-19 describes Christ's existence as the Light of the world. He is the light that shines into the universe so that one no longer walks in darkness. It is interesting to see the way John connects the following two conditions: "light" and "life". Both words are used to emphasize Jesus' powerful role in granting eternal life. Christ calls everyone to walk after Him. In His light, darkness will simply be dispelled. However, this can only happen if we are willing to walk with the Light. In addition, Jesus' existence as the Light is also because it is only in Him that we find our way to the Father, as He affirms in verse 19, “.... If you know Me, you know My Father also.”
Unfortunately we are often like the Pharisees who doubted Jesus' self-revelation. They could not really see the light because in the end they did not believe the Word of God. Perhaps the Pharisees were not willing to admit that perhaps what they thought was truth and light was not really truth and light. Their minds were distorted by false truths. Isn't this also our challenge in modern times? Often we are unable to see His light and hope not because they are absent from our lives, but because our minds have been clouded by various considerations, selfishness, which distort the radiance of His love.
At the end of this year, let us put our hope in Him alone. Perhaps this year has brought a lot of darkness to our lives. But that does not mean there is no light and hope in the future. So approach Christ with humility because it is in submission that we are enabled to see the radiance of His love. Continue to walk with Christ and look forward to a hopeful future because in Him there is always love.
Reflective questions:
Have we learned to trust Him in all the steps of our lives?
