Into the Night
Scripture Reading — John 13:21-30
As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.
—John 13:30
It isn’t hard to feel the weight of this scene. Jesus, while sharing a meal with his disciples, identifies his betrayer. It’s Judas. We can picture Judas slinking out of the room, his cloak sweeping briskly behind him.
Did you notice that the writer made a point of saying, “It was night”? John was doing more than telling us the time of day. Judas was now joining forces with the prince of darkness. But that’s only part of the picture.
John’s gospel account began with the good news that Christ Jesus, God in human flesh, the light of the world, came to live among us (John 1:9, 14). Isaiah 9:2 prophesied that people living in darkness would see a great light. Jesus came among us to shine the light of God’s love and grace into a dark and suffering world, our world.
We don’t have to watch or read the news very long to detect darkness all around us. And Scripture teaches that the darkness is also in us. All of us sometimes prefer darkness that hides to light that exposes.
The good news, however, is that Jesus dispels our darkness and radiates his light into our hearts and lives. As the light of Christ dwells in us, we too can dispel the darkness we encounter all around us.
How will you dispel darkness and shine the light of Christ today?
God, “I want to walk as a child of the light; I want to follow Jesus.” Lead and guide me, I pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
About the author — Ruth Boven
Ruth Boven serves as minister of congregational life at LaGrave Ave. CRC in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She and her husband, Greg, have two adult children. They find rich purpose in urban ministry and delight in enjoying the wonders of God's good creation.
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