#JESUS2019 - Daily DevotionalsSample

In the house I grew up in with my parents and siblings, there was a basement. A basement is such a great thing, because it offers so much storage space. My parents, for example, stored food in the basement such as potatoes and jam and in addition they had a big freezer down there.

Every time I was asked to go down to the basement, it was exciting. Because the basement was dark, and it was scary. You could never see what was happening in the dark.

So I figured out a tactic to get around this problem: I would open the door a little bit, push my little hand through the opening and feel for the light switch. This way I would stand in the light of the hallway as I waited for the cellar light to come on, and then there would be enough light for me to enter the basement fearlessly.

The light took away my fear. When it was bright, I could immediately see that there was no danger of somebody being in the basement, secretly stealing food supplies, and that no one wanted to kidnap me.

Jesus said: I am the light of the world.

On a global scale the world is a dark place. Every time I listen to the news, terrible things have happened. Murder and manslaughter. Wars and natural disasters. Corruption and self-centeredness. 

When I put the global perspective aside and only look at my small personal world, I can define the dark even more precisely. Okay, I have never encountered murder and manslaughter. But what about slander? How do I behave at work, school or university and when I am out with friends? We also experience death and sadness in times of peace. And each one of us can be self-centred. Do I spread fear or am I a light in this world that takes away fear - just like Jesus?

That is exactly what Jesus said: You are the light of the world. He said this to us! To you and to me. More precisely, he said this to his followers. To the people who fearlessly live with Jesus and want to change their surroundings for the better, with his love and freedom. Do you fully understand that? You are the light of the world. 

In the dark situations of your daily life, you have the possibility of turning on the light. Perhaps you are full of fear at first, but with time, you can lose your fear by letting Jesus’ light shine through the crack in the door, letting him point the way.

As a child in the basement, I was always happy when I found what I was supposed to get. I would pick it up and run back up the stairs as fast as lightning. Completely out of breath, I would close the door behind me and was happy that there was light in the basement.

ACTION STEP:

For which person will you be a light in the next week?

Sören Koch – ICF Essen