“Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”
John 11:9-10 NIV
Trusting in HIS voice!
As my wife, Cheryl, and I sat in our living room having just returned from our home group, she asked me expectantly where it says that we are to step out of the light and into the darkness. So, I let her keep talking. After all, what the heck? Step out of the light?
Our son, Ashton, had a word for us all during our time together, also. He spoke of loyalty to the devil and loyalty to God, being different and opposite.
As the fellowship time continued I battled my intention to be silent. But the word “obedience” kept coming to my mind. The topic of the night was “worship” using the two scriptures from Sunday’s sermon. Genesis 22:5 and Romans 12:1-2 in these contexts “worship” means to bow down and prostrate one’s self in obedience.
Abraham was walking out of “the light” of his own understanding ever since he left Ur of the Chaldeas. Following and trusting in God completely. Hos obedience was imperfect but God perfected it over the course of his life.
“But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”
Hebrews 5:14 NIV
I’m adding that verse here because we can be part of this same process of God’s perfecting our obedience, by learning to listen. When we listen, it’s 2 parts
- hearing
- obedience
When we’ve actually heard from God, the confirmation comes with it; our heart tell us the idea wasn’t our own.
Watchman Nee – Changed Into His Likenesses explains this wonderfully!
This was not only the ultimate test of his trust in God, but also of his obedience, his obedience was “spiritual worship” it was a picture of what Romans 12:1-2 is talking about when Paul urged that
As she talked the scripture about the daylight (John 11:9-10) came to mind, and I looked it up.
Lets look back on the events leading up to Jesus words there. – whenever a scripture comes to my mind I look at the surrounding scriptures to get the context of it – In John 10:38-42we read that Jesus escaped their grasp, the ones trying to kill him, and they went back across the Jordan.
Then, when they got word about Lazarus being sick, what did Jesus do?
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
“But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?”
John 11:5-8 NIV
they did not love their lives so much
Revelation 12:11 NIV
as to shrink from death.
The disciples thought the pattern was run from trouble! Death avoidance!
I wonder if this sounds about right,
Jesus left because Lazarus had to die
Jesus stayed 2 extra days beacuse Lazarus had to be really dead!
Then Jesus had to go back to raise him from the dead, because JESUS had to die! And raising Lazarus from the dead was the last straw —- where they finally realize it!
When the disciples spoke of their confusion it was because they were leaning on their own understanding! Depending on the light of Day, rather than THE LIGHT which was JESUS himself
Luke 11:27-28
Hear, word of God and obey it.
Running Down Vimy 