4th Monday of Lent (March 16). The light within

Prepare to Listen.  The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
 
Prayerfully Read John 11:1-16
Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.  2Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill.  3So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”  4But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather, it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”  5Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, 6after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.  7Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”  8The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?”  9Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight?  Those who walk during the day do not stumble because they see the light of this world.  10But those who walk at night stumble because the light is not in them.”  11After saying this, he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.”  12The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.”  13Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep.  14Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.  15For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.  But let us go to him.”  16Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
 
Prayerfully Wonder
Judea, where Mary, Martha and Lazarus lived, wasn’t safe for Jesus.  He left there because of six death threats.  Returning for Lazarus wasn’t safe.  Jesus chose to return.
 
His disciples questioned his decision.  His response is puzzling: “Are there not twelve hours of daylight?  Those who walk during the day do not stumble because they see the light of this world.  But those who walk at night stumble because the light is not in them.”  I suspect they wondered what he was talking about.  Some see the light and don’t stumble.  Others stumble because the light isn’t in them.
 
This wasn’t about Lazarus.  But his illness and death (v. 14) made Jesus think of his imminent death.  There wasn’t much time left for him to do his work—12 hours of daylight.  His disciples would soon be in darkness since “the light of the world” would no longer be with them.  His second statement was intended to reassure them and also us.  There’s no need for fear.  His absence doesn’t mean we’ll stumble.  So long as we see the light, Jesus.  And we will see it because the light is in us.  It’s not in those who stray to ways that conform to their ideals and comfort.
 
In today’s troubled times, we can be assured that we can avoid stumbling so long as we remain where we see the light that is in us.  There are many who are leading Christians away from it.  There always have been.  It’s up to us to remain in the light that is Jesus and nurture the light that is in us so that we avoid stumbling.
 
What do you think you can do to stay in the light, trust the light of Jesus within and avoid being led astray by those who claim their way is of Jesus but isn’t?
 
Prayerfully Respond
Lord Jesus, help me discipline myself in your Word so that I stay in your light and nurture your light in me.  Amen.