LIGHT OF LIFE Speaker: Dr. D.G.S. Dhinakaran Gist: I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. The Lord brought light along with Him into the world. The Scripture says in John 8:12; 9:5, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Yes, He brought light. The Bible says in Isaiah 9:2, "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light" As long as we live in this world, darkness will surround us. When we read the Bible verses as found in Luke 2:10, 11 the angel proclaimed, " I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." The Lord was born and with Him came the light. The light of hope dawned.
In John 8:12, the Lord forgave the sins of a woman and says whoever comes to Me will get delivered from the darkness. Whoever receives the light from God shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life. For this purpose He came to the earth. To give light in the depths of our heart he descended to this earth. My dearly beloved, at the age of twenty I ran towards the railway tracks to commit suicide. Darkness surrounded me. Darkness because of sins, due to hunger and poverty, the miseries owing to unemployment, and financial stringencies choked my throat. Only in such a circumstance, the Lord met me and I realized that He also hungered and suffered poverty. It was a great joy and a ray of hope hit me. Light was born and my life changed.
At the age of thirty-four both my lungs collapsed. The thought that often crossed my mind was "O! When would I breathe my last?" Until then I who lived a very happy and joyous life with two children began to lament, "O! Why this pain for me?" When it became night I would wait for the daybreak and when the daylight came I wished it were dusk. All the 24 hour of the day I kept lamenting, "Why this pain for me?" My lamentation shattered my wife and children's heart. My son who returned after school came and hugged my neck and cried, "Papa, when would you get up and drop me at school and pick me back? The parents of my fellow students are all doing so. Tell me when would you come?" My family sank into the depth of the deepest darkness we had ever seen until then. Disease and sickness brings darkness while the darkness of death causes great concern and discomfort.
Even today the very thought of having lost my beloved daughter Angel in the car accident which took place on 21st May 1986 envelopes me with darkness. "My dear Angel! If only had you lived, how wonderful it would have been?" When my son got married, the woman who became his wife was also called Evangeline. Our hearts were overwhelmed with joy. The same name! Born in the same year in which my daughter was born and studied the same course that my daughter had intended to pursue. Oh it was immeasurable happiness.
However, this new Evangeline says, "Oh how I wish that Angel had lived. She would have been of great support to me. I would be able to tell all my problems to her. I don't have my mother and father. I also lost my brother. Had she lived she would have been a source of great comfort and consolation to me." The darkness of death cannot be changed. We just have one hope to cling as we find in the words told by our Lord Jesus Christ in Revelations 1:17, 18, " "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. "I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death." The resurrected Saviour ascended into heaven. The Bible says in I Thessalonians 4:13-15, for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. He will bring back those who died along with Him and if should His second coming delay we would go and meet our dear ones there. This is our belief. It is this faith that removes the darkness and gives birth to the light in us. Just for this purpose He came down to the earth. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.
Prayer
Loving Lord,
I praise and thank you for being the light of this world. Lord help me to cling firmly to You always in all circumstances. Let Your light shine always upon me. Keep me as a source of comfort to the people whom I meet today and bless this day with your kind mercies. Help me to rejoice in You always and may Your hope always fill me.
In Jesus' name I pray
Amen |