John 12:34-38: a reflection

34The multitude answered him, “We have heard out of the law that the Christ remains forever. How do you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” 35Jesus therefore said to them, “Yet a little while the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness doesn’t overtake you. He who walks in the darkness doesn’t know where he is going. 36While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become children of light.” Jesus said these things, and he departed and hid himself from them. 37But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they didn’t believe in him, 38that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

As Jesus speaks of his coming departure, he urges his hearers to respond to him while they still can. Yet a little while the light is with you, he says. Walk while you have the light, that darkness doesn't overtake you. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become children of light. The light of Christ was with them, but not indefinitely; there was an urgency to respond, to walk in the light, to believe, while it was still with them, before the darkness came. The opportunity to respond to the light was real but not unlimited; Jesus urged them to seize it while they had it, not to delay.

Notice the urgency in Jesus' words: walk while you have the light. The light was with them now, but only for a little while; the opportunity to respond was present but not permanent. Jesus urged them not to delay, but to walk in the light, to believe in it, while they still had it, lest the darkness overtake them. There was a window of opportunity to respond to the light, and it was not to be presumed upon or delayed. The time to walk in the light was while the light was with them; to put off responding was to risk the darkness overtaking them. The urgency was real: respond now, while the light is here, not later when it may be gone.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too are called to respond to the light of Christ while it is with us, not to delay. We can treat the opportunity to respond to Christ as though it were unlimited, always available, something we can put off to a more convenient time; but Jesus urged his hearers to walk in the light while they had it, before the darkness came. The opportunity to respond is real but not to be presumed upon or endlessly delayed. Do not put off responding to the light of Christ as though the opportunity were unlimited; walk in the light while you have it, believing now, not delaying. Respond to the light of Christ while it is with you, walking in it and believing now rather than delaying, as Jesus urged his hearers to walk while they had the light lest the darkness overtake them; for the opportunity to respond to the light is real but not unlimited, and the time to walk in it is now, while it is with us, not later when it may be gone.

Lord Jesus, as you speak of your coming departure, you urge your hearers to respond to you while they still can. Yet a little while the light is with you, you say. Walk while you have the light, that darkness doesn't overtake you. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become children of light. Your light was with them, but not indefinitely; there was an urgency to respond, to walk in the light, to believe, while it was still with them, before the darkness came. Show me the urgency in your words: walk while you have the light. The light was with them now, but only for a little while; the opportunity to respond was present but not permanent. You urged them not to delay, but to walk in the light, to believe in it, while they still had it, lest the darkness overtake them. There was a window of opportunity to respond, and it was not to be presumed upon or delayed. The time to walk in the light was while the light was with them. Take that to my heart, for I too am called to respond to your light while it is with me, not to delay. I can treat the opportunity to respond to you as though it were unlimited, always available, something I can put off to a more convenient time; but you urged your hearers to walk in the light while they had it. The opportunity is real but not to be presumed upon or endlessly delayed. Keep me from putting off responding to your light as though the opportunity were unlimited; help me walk in the light while I have it, Lord, believing now, not delaying, as you urged your hearers to walk while they had the light.