Jesus wants us to play close attention to our desires and where these desires will lead us.

Luke 11:33-36

33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. 35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”

Jesus wants us to play close attention to our desires, and where these desires will lead us. The passage also continues a discussion that Jesus has with a nearby crowd. His previous statements include the famous phrase “a house divided will fall” (when Jesus is accused of driving out demons by the Devil’s power) and comparing his own ministry to that of Jonah’s to the Ninevites.

Here, Jesus pivots the conversation and starts talking about light, darkness and something that appears to be light but is really darkness. All the while using imagery of lamps and eyes.

Jesus here is explaining that our eyes guide our body. For us today, we might think about these same issues by saying: “What my heart desires, my mind and my body will follow.” Our desires, the object or objects of our attention (our eyes), set the pace for the rest of our lives (our body). When our heart has its desires in the right order, life tends to be healthy (notwithstanding suffering). When our hearts chase after the wrong things, in the wrong order, life can fall apart (although we may enjoy fleeting pleasures for a time).

You would think that it would be easy to know if our eyes are healthy or unhealthy. In fact, even though Jesus uses stark contrasting language like light and dark, or healthy and unhealthy, he seems to complicate the issue by saying that it is not necessarily easy to detect: “See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness”. How can light be dark? That doesn’t make any sense, does it?

It appears that there is a sense in which we can be self-deceived. We can think we have light, or healthy eyes when in fact our situation is quite the opposite. For the crowd, it is a warning – they think they have the light (inherited from their Israelite history and laws) when in fact they deny the power of God (by claiming that Jesus is allied with the Devil) and they cannot see a great prophet is in their midst (one greater than Jonah).

Jesus finishes this passage by leaving us with hope. That there is a light that can reach to the darkest crevices of our lives and light those parts up just as much as other parts of our lives.

For us today – we think there are three main realities to consider. This first is that we, like the crowd, can be self-deceived. Secondly, there is an offer from Jesus that if we fix our eyes on him, that we can enjoy his light, which can transform every part of our lives and make us “healthy”. Finally, God intends to hold us out as “light” that others might see.

Head: Do I think I can deceive myself? In what ways might I be deceiving myself right now?

Heart: What are my “eyes” set on? What do my actions say about where my eyes and heart are set?

Hands: In what ways can I serve one person today by doing something I would not normally do? (e.g. call a friend, buy a round of coffee, buy a small gift for a family member etc.)

Prayer: Dear Father, thank you that you did not leave us in darkness, but sent your one and only Son to show us the way back to you. We are sorry for the times when our eyes have desired and followed other things, even good things, above you.

Please point out to me, through the bible, through friends, ways in which I can more fully follow you. Please also use me today to also shine a little more of your light in this world.

In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

A song to listen to: Centre My Life

Living Church Creek Road