Looking for Light or Dark?

Jeremiah 30:12–22; John 12:36–43; Psalm 105:1-11 (read online ⧉)

The people of Israel were in turmoil. Their kings changed allegiances to the bigger powers on the world stage. They were in the middle of two warring empires. They were devastated by war and taxes. Today’s passage in Jeremiah starts as a summary of the Israel is feeling. The pain is the self-inflicted consequence of walking away from God.

By no means did God want the Israelites to suffer, yet sometimes the best lessons are the hard ones. Despite their pain, God did not want them to . God promised , a magnificent restoration, of children, self-rule, and .

Many people walk far away from God, ways that we may never understand. They could have done (or be doing) things that make no sense from a logical, emotional, moral, or spiritual point of view. Just as the Israelites were blind, so are so many people today. Just like the Israelites, they do not realize that they cannot see.

called on his followers to believe in the . Belief in the light was expected to be transformative. Jesus’ followers would become children of light. Yet, even in Jesus’ day, even with the miracles, people did not believe.

1) Is there someone in your that you feel is not walking in the light? Will you commit to pray for that person?

2) Is there something in your life that you don’t want to be in the light? Will you bring that to a trusted person to ? If you do not have a person that you , pray that God will bring you such a trusted person into your life.