See the light and understand with your heart ...

Monday, June 23, 2014. The Gospels are the invitation to believe in Jesus. They talk about his life and his words, about his actions, about wonders and healing. The key point in all of it is to “come to the light”. Light is the image for a place where it is bright and where understanding is present. Light has a deep meaning in the New Testament, and Jesus himself is linked to light, he calls himself the light and he calls all those who follow him the light of the world!

Light …

We are invited to become “sons of the light”. It includes women, to be come daughters of the light as well. Jesus wants to make our life very bright, and fill it with the warm light of this love, as well as with a bright and clear light of truth and understanding. Let us have a look, we are reading the Gospel of John, chapter 12:

36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. 37 Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, 38 so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39 Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.” 41 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. 42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. (John 12, 36-43)

When you work with faith and work for Jesus, you will always find this experience: there are many who believe, but there are more who do not believe. You will always find many who cannot follow and do not see the light which is there in Jesus. And you will also discover all your brothers and sisters in the Lord, and find many who do believe - a community not experienced before.

Light …

Let us take amoment to think about why and in what sense Jesus is the light! What does it mean to you? To me, light means understanding. Light means depth. Light means a clear view onto life. Light means to be without illusions, but not without hope. Light means to be filled with purpose. Light means to see sustainable steps of life, it means to be creative and develop things which are good and beautiful, without being destructive to others.

Jesus came to show God's love, to bring God's forgiveness, without destroying his truth and faithfulness and reliability. God brings it all together at the cross of Calvary. To me, it is light to see the problems of life, and at the same time to overcome them. It is light to create a new path, the path of faith in Jesus - renewing the old path of faith which was given from the very beginning. It is light to open a door into heaven, and to make it visible.

God's grace is new every morning. He has creating power, and he wants his power to be part of our life as well. That is also a very important part of this light: that healing takes place, when we turn to him, each and every time! It is a healing of the sould in the first place, and at least occasionally healing of the body can be a part of it. And suddenly we realize, how fantastic his light is, full of life, full of future, full of hope! (Roland Potthast) ... more texts