Walk While You Have the Light

“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”
John 12:27-35

I have learned some new things about light and myself after a winter in Alaska. Light is a true necessity of life and when we have limited light we can truly stumble. We don't lose the light here completely during the winter but it is very limited. The days are short so one tries to be outside when it is light. Light is fuel and strength, and without it we are just lost and withering folks.

Jesus is struggling to help the people understand God's purpose and his own behavior. He understands his time is very limited and that God would have them all accept the love and light that he brought to them. We humans tend to be wary of that kind of love and selflessness. We want to explain divine things in human terms with our limited experience and understanding. God is asking us to accept and celebrate the presence of God in our lives. To revel in our blessings while we have them. Knowing God is walking in the light while it is here.

Today I ask God to help me walk in the light. As we walk more deeply into the passion and complexity of Holy Week, may we also be the children of the light. May we celebrate the small miracles of our days and rejoice with every smile and warm gesture. May we hold fast to the love we have. And may we share that love with a world that knows too much darkness.