2 minute read.
Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 26:1-28:25 ESV, John 11:1-54 ESV, Psalm 117:1-2 ESV, Proverbs 15:22-23 ESV
Daily Verse: “Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.” (John 11:9 ESV)
METOIKESIA (3350): “A change of abode by force.”[i]
Forced change.
Travelers during Jesus’ day didn’t have the convenience of streetlights. Night-time journeys meant not seeing the stumbling blocks in the road. However, daytime walks meant well-lit paths, making it easy to avoid the potholes.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119: 105 ESV)
Following Jesus lights your path. Applying His teachings to your life will help you avoid the potholes and keep you from stumbling. But if we take our eyes off the Savior, we become susceptible to falling.
Stumbling means a forced change of abode. When I missed the last step of the stairs in my house, looking at my phone instead of my path, I caused myself pain. Not paying attention, walking in darkness, I missed the danger ahead. Now, weeks later, I still have pain in my knee from lack of awareness.
Stay focused.
When we focus our eyes on Jesus, He lights the way for us, but the moment we look away, our path becomes dark. In an instant, you can find yourself on the floor, wondering what happened.
Sometimes, the most significant hurts come from the smallest stumbles. Stubbing your toe causes an extraordinary amount of pain. Jesus doesn’t want us to stumble; He wants us to focus on Him.
Keeping the Son in your eyes does require intentionality. You must decide to follow Jesus, then pursue Him vigorously. Reading God’s Word daily, developing a relationship with the Creator through prayer, applying Jesus’ teachings to your life all ways we keep our paths lighted.
If you feel surrounded by darkness, invite Jesus into the room. Ask Him to light your path and give you direction. Often, God only gives us enough light for the next step, knowing that’s all we need for today.
[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 363) Thomas Nelson
