Gospel Reflections #747: We don't go to get the light, but Jesus comes to us.

Matthew 4:16 "The people who dwell in darkness have seen a great light, and the light has shone on those who dwell in the land of the shadow of death."

After Jesus was baptized and tested in the wilderness, He began His public life's work for the fulfillment of prophecy.

The place Jesus went to is a place of darkness and the shadow of death.

In other words, it must have been a place of great pagan influence. Things contrary to God's law, such as premarital sex, adultery, abortion, stealing, lying, and idolatry, must have been commonplace.

Thus, as described here, the people would have been sitting in darkness, under the shadow of death. 

Christ, however, dwells as light in the midst of such darkness.

He came in the middle of sin, dirt, and despair.

When a king goes somewhere, he usually visits the typical places of the region, which are clean and tidy, far removed from the ordinary people and their daily lives.

But with Christ, it is the opposite.

He came in the midst of people living in the darkness, without any decoration.

We, too, live in darkness and are so accustomed to it that we don't even realize it is darkness, or that we even feel comfortable in it.

To us, Jesus brings hope.

We don't go to get it, but Jesus comes to us.

Those who relate to Jesus and are touched by His love, like His disciples, can immediately follow His call without hesitation or anxiety.

Even if we fail to act, God knows the thoughts of our hearts, receives them, and leads us to action.

That is God's light!

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.