1 Then he showed me a river of the water of life, bright as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb,

2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

5 And there will no longer be any night, and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them, and they will reign forever and ever.

— Revelation 22:1-2; 5

4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

5 And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.

— John 1:4-5

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall by no means walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.

— John 8:12

And this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

— 1 John 1:5

The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

— Psalm 119:130

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and love from Christ to you.

Where can we look for light while living in a dark world? In this modern age, words, images, information, and advice bombard us constantly. Where do we go for insight, understanding, and help? David wrote, “The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” God’s Word has direction for us right now. We can begin now to live in the light that will surround us forever. God’s words conform our thinking and living unto the light and life every day.

Only God gives life. Vibrant life permeates God’s eternal city with the river of life, the Tree of Life, the throne of God and the Lamb, and a diverse community who celebrates eternal life forever. We have received new life by believing in Jesus as our Savior. What could be a greater honor than carrying God’s name? How thrilling to identify with God and belong to Him! God’s promise of a glorious future offers hope and perspective for today. Hallelujah! We are secure in Christ Jesus await an amazing future in God’s glorious presence forever.