Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.” After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them. (John 12:35-36)

Read: Ezekiel 40:38 – 43:27

Relate: “I’ve never lost a game.” When I heard say these words I gave him a look that expressed my extreme skepticism. He simply shrugged and said, “But it is true that I occasionally happened to be behind when time ran out.” When something is delivered as deadpan as he made this outrageous statement, you just have to laugh. When it comes to things like sports and athletics, his attitude is a great one to have. For example, my Yankees are mounting a comeback in the wild card race. The problem is, they’ve been mounting this comeback for the last three weeks now and I think we are only one game closer to passing the Mariners and the Tigers than we were then. If our comeback doesn’t pick up its pace a bit we will end up running out of time. We will find that it was too little, too late.

Too little, too late is exactly the situation Jesus is warning us against. Light and dark. Good and evil. He is warning against walking around in the dark because when we do that we might find out that we aren’t going where we think we are going. We are wandering around lost and we don’t even realize it. If we are truly children of the light we need to be walking in the light.

React: When the time runs out, when the game is over, I think a lot of people who consider themselves Christians are going to be surprised to find out that they’re actually on the losing side of the game. They think they are fine. They think they will have plenty of time to clean up their act, but too much of their life is being walked out in the darkness. Nobody knows. No one sees the internet sites they are viewing. No one knows the bitterness or the hatred they cherish deep down and only bring to the surface when it can safely be done in secret. There’s a habit, an illicit secret, they hide and think that no one but themselves is being hurt by it. Yes, of course God knows, but God is loving and forgiving. Eventually they will straighten their life out. There is plenty of time for that.

Suddenly, a drunk driver doesn’t stop at the red light. A weak blood vessel in your brain suddenly ruptures. There is an accident at your workplace. Your heart… skips… a beat. Whatever the cause, your clock has run out. Next thing you know, you are standing before the judgment seat of God. Yes there’s a nagging doubt, but it is overwhelmed by confidence that you are a child of the light. You will say, “Lord, I was a Christian. In Your Name I prophesied, cast out demons and did many miracles. I went to church every Sunday and tithed faithfully… most of the time.” But to your surprise He will answer, “I never knew you. Get away from me you who break God’s laws.”

Respond: 

God, shine Your light into every corner of my heart. I want to be ready. I don’t want to just say I am a child of the light. I want to live it. I want to walk it out. If there is any sin I need to confess and repent from, give me the moral courage to do so. If there is any bitterness I need to root out, help me to do so. When time runs out, I don’t want to be surprised to find out where I am and whose I am. I am Yours. Let this not just be something I say. Let it not be something I tricked myself into believing is true. Let it be who I am. Let it be what I walk out in my life both public and private. Let me always be walking in the light, even when nobody else sees.