March 21

John 12: 37-50

“...no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” There is
something unsettling about the dark. Children fear it, adults often avoid
it. Jesus, who has already taught His followers He is the light of the
world, now says none of those who believe in Him has to stay in darkness. What
a refreshing and freeing statement from our Lord! Think about it, those
sinful patterns that we get stuck in, because of Christ, we can be free
from them. The shame of the past, no more. Christ has wiped it away,
just as His Father asked Him to do. Jesus time and again points us to a
larger life that is free from the pattern of sin. To live in such a way
means to radically obey Him, just as He radically obeyed His Father.
When we do, our lives will take on greater significance and purpose in
the eyes of those Who matter most, while confounding the
understanding of those who choose not to follow Him.

Are there areas of sin in your life you have struggled to break free from?
Today, invite the Lord to shine the full beauty and glory of His light into
those dark spots and begin that process of setting you free. Ask the Holy
Spirit to help you set boundaries to protect you from falling back into
patterns of before, and take a risk, share with someone in your
community what you’re dealing with, asking them to pray and stand
with you, that you might live in fullness and freedom like never before!