When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”—John 8:12 (NIV)

Engine trouble on our sailboat caused unexpected delays. My husband and I arrived at the mouth of the Fraser River as the wind was calm and the sun was setting. At dusk, we motored upriver. It was nearly impossible to see hazards in the water, but we had to keep going so we could find a place to moor. 

I pulled out our big light. Gene steered the sailboat while I stood on the deck holding a three-thousand-lumen spotlight (equivalent to the light of three thousand candles). Steel navigational buoys located fourteen hundred feet apart dotted the length of that section of the river, marking the lanes in which incoming and outgoing vessels traveled. Colliding with one could seriously damage a hull, which is the body of the boat. My task was to find these markers and shine the light on them so Gene could steer away from them. Trying to navigate the river without that light would have been treacherous, foolish, and nearly impossible. 

Jesus knew that navigating life successfully in spiritual darkness was impossible for mankind. He loved us so much that He came to earth and died for us (John 3:16). He revealed Himself as the light of life (John 1:4). He unveiled the enemy’s tactics and lies so we could steer clear of them (James 4:7). I can’t imagine navigating life apart from the light of Jesus any more than I can motor safely upriver in the dark. 

Faith Step: Recall an instance in which Jesus saved you from a potentially painful situation.