unexpected questions

wow. long time no see... or talk? well i guess this would be writing. the 3 week break was due to school. thank you college for kicking my butt! tomorrow is reading day where we are supposed to study all day... i'll study once i regroup from the past month!

anyway, i got a tattoo in december on foot and it says john 8:12. this tattoo is very sentimental to me because
1) john 8:12 says "Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. WHoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life"
2) 8/12 is my birthday (not planned)
3) the john part is written in my hand writing and the 8:12 part is in my sisters hand writing
4) the most important reason- the meaning of this verse. it's interesting because i've always wanted a tattoo but i've never known what i wanted it to be of. then, one day i realized that the main thing that has kept me going has been light. God's light to be exact. i've been through darker times than i ever thought were possible. sometimes, the darkness of the night overtook me and i thought the light would never come. day in and day out i saw darkness. then, every now and then i'd see a God's light. i'd see this light in family and friends, i'd hear it in songs and i'd experience it in nature. so, when i heard john 8:12 it was a no brainer that this verse embodies what i want to remind myself every time i see my tattoo.

the reasons for the tattoo are all well and good but tonight i was asked another question, "what is verse 13?" this question was asked in a joking manner but WOAH. i didn't know the answer. i have this amazing verse on my foot for a great reason but what is the point without context of where it is in the bible. i mean i've read chapter 8 before but i guess it never stuck with me. so tonight i read.

i learned that this passage is about Christ defending himself to the Pharisees. he was telling them that his claim was valid because he knows where he came from and where he is going. people on this earth cannot tell him his claim to be the light of the world is not valid because they do not know where he came from or where he is going. this is an amazing passage because it shows another moment where people were trying to knock jesus down but it just didn't happen... he couldn't be knocked down. it's a great reminder that jesus is bigger than this world. He is the light. He is life.