13th December Advent Devotion – Brokenness, Light and Surrender
Hello,
Today we join the crowds who sat with Jesus in the temple courts. They and we are hungry to know him more. As he sits teaching us we are interrupted by the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. They rush in, full of anger and judgement with a woman they caught in adultery. They bring her to Jesus, full of accusation, quoting the law of Moses as their back up. They wanted to trap him, to find a foundation to accuse him. How would He respond to their test? You can read the events in John 8:1-11.
After it all, he turns again to the crowds, to us and says “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Lets dig further into what that means for us.
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| Photo by Karen Way- Lamp |
A few years ago one night, I saw a beautiful hand made mosaic lamp shining out of a shop window. Light and beauty calling out in the darkness to a broken world.
In advent we anticipate the coming of Jesus light of the world. John 1v1 speaks of our coming hope. “Before time itself was measured, the Voice was speaking.”
The Voice was and is God.
John 1v1-5
Before time itself was measured, the Voice was speaking The Voice was and is God. This celestial Word remained ever present with the Creator; His speech shaped the entire universe. Immersed in the practice of creating, all things that exist were birthed in Him. His breath filled all things with a living, breathing light— A light that thrives in the depths of darkness, blazes through murky bottoms. It cannot and will not be quenched.
V4-5 “His breath filled all things with a living breathing light – A light that thrives in the depths of darkness. It cannot and will not be quenched.”
Jesus as The Light does not call out from a distant place but draws near by coming into the world. He comes to our darkness, standing with us, offering hope where we are broken.
Jesus calls us to take his yoke upon our shoulders, which is a sign of submission and an acceptance of abject vulnerability, but it is, in our case, only a surrender to God, a leap into His arms to learn, a childlike dependence and willingness to let God love us into life by His forming us in His ways.
Matt 11:28-30
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
I love how The Message Bible opens up Jesus words and paints a beautiful picture of what surrender in our lives looks like. As I read, there is a deep sigh of relief, of letting go, and in my heart “Yes.”
What will you do with His invitation to you today?
Will Reagan and United Pursuit sing ‘Nothing I Hold On To’ on the album ‘Live at The Banks House. His song is really a prayer of surrender and trust as we let go all into God’s hand and choose not to lean on our own understanding.