March 10, 2017 – 1 Thessalonians 5:5-6

For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. 1 Thessalonians 5:5-6

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12

Light and Dark. It is the choice each of us will make.  Walking in the light eliminates stubbed toes, falls, and wrong turns in life.  Growing up, I watched my blind Uncle go through life, listening to sounds around him and feeling for his food on his plate, fried eggs at 2 o’clock. He trusted others to tell him where he was and the direction to go to be safe.

When we live in darkness, we lose our way, make crippling decisions, and understand the dilemma of a sinful world.  When we live in the light of Jesus, we understand hope and trust.  We are protected by an armor of faith and love.  We wear the helmet of our salvation with confidence.  My Uncle knew he was blind physically, but he believed in Jesus,  He had faith and understood salvation.  Not understanding we are spiritually blind, we walk in the darkness alone, and we are truly lost.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. John 1:5

It is not a matter of ‘and’.  Jesus is never an ‘and’. “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.

But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. 1 Thessalonians 5:8