Following the Light

When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

John 8:12 

My problem is I think He is like a flashlight, pointing out there, showing me where to go.  But that isn't it. He is more like a candle, flickering in the darkness.  I need to just keep looking at Him, moving where He goes, keeping in step with Him.  That is following. Being as close to Him as I can.  The closer I am, the more light I am in. He will take me with Him, where and when. But also, sometimes, we stop and rest, wait, together.  My task is to follow Him, not launch out from where He is.  It is a sight distinction but one that makes all the difference in the world.

We so want to know what is out there, what we are to do.  We want to get out and fix things, solve problems.  We are do-ers. But the key is to trust Him. We need to be be-ers! All we need to worry about is following that light that lights up the darkness.  He is there, His light available to everyone.  This has to do with the moment. He is in every moment, Present. And He is enough.  He will worry about when, how and where.  I only need to concern myself with Who and my following of Him. Jesus Christ, the light of the world.  He said by following Him, we will never walk in darkness.  That is quite a promise. Why do I stray from the simplicity of this?

Oh Lord, help me to stay close and not wander away, for when I do the light dims.  I need your light. I need you.  I can be no help to anyone when I am shrouded in darkness. Thank you Lord, for being the light, for coming and bidding me to follow You! Thank you for lighting the way.  Thank you, that you are the Way!

My heart says of You,

"Seek His Face!"

Your Face, O Lord, I will seek.

Psalm 27:7

The Bread that Gives Life

John 6:26 Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.  

The crowds were literally chasing Jesus all over the place, bringing their dire needs to Him.  As we do. They had seen the miraculous. Miracles are hard to dismiss. We need them so badly! This is a hard world. We hurt. We struggle. We strive and strain.  How can we not want someone to make it all go away?  Yet He chastises the disciples for missing it.  Even when they saw it up close, they missed it. Didn't they see that everyone, 5,000 on a hillside, had had their fill? Satisfied. What we really seek is not the miracles but the One who satisfies our  hungry, needy heart.  That is the message He revealed, and is revealing, to the world. Emmanuel. God with us. It is our heart hunger, our aloneness, that plagues us most.  The other things of this broken and beaten up world?  He will take care of that too, but in the meantime, He is with us. He breaths life into our weary souls.

Throughout the Bible, God declares His Presence as the answer to our problems. We just want more.  I think it is normal for us to want it all to go away, but how profound is it, really, when we realize that the God of the universe and beyond, is with us.  Personally.  Never to leave or forsake us.

Jesus continued to teach the disciples...you don't get it guys? It is Me Who satisfies. Seek Me.  They eventually got it and it made different people out of them. They surrendered their lives to Him and together with Him, they changed the world.

Sometimes I get it; He continues to be patient with me. He teaches me. Thank you Lord for Your patience and Your Presence. As I seek You, You make all the difference.