Children of Light

Jesus said, “Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that 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 standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.” After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them. John 12:27-36

We all would like the hard and painful situations removed from our lives. There are many things I wish I did not have to go through. Many things I wish my children, my husband and my family did not have to bear. I also know, that there are moments of great blessings, learnings and love in the midst of the hardest times. Jesus wanted to save his friends from the coming hard times. Yet, he knew, protecting them, coddling them, wouldn't give them strength or faith. We find our strength in the hard places, in the challenges when we feel overwhelmed. Jesus was with them during the worst, and he is with us now.

Gracious Creator, you spin the seasons round

you give us times of plantings and harvests

times we must celebrate and times to mourn

and you are with us in every hour and moment

Let us walk as children of your love light

help us to find strength and faith in these times

help us to know you are with us in our struggles

and that your light and love are always with us. Amen.