John 11:9-10

John 11:9-10. Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours of the day? If a man walk in the day he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night he stumbleth, because the light is not in him. This is the parable of chap. John 9:4 in an expanded form. By the light which God makes to shine in the world, He marks out twelve hours as the appointed time for ‘walking,' for active work; by the absence of this light, the night is marked out as the time when there can be no such work. So is the life of every man ordered by God. There is the appointed time for work, indicated by the Providence of God: in following the intimations of His will the man will ‘not stumble,' will take no false step. He will not shorten the proper time for ‘walking;' for throughout the appointed twelve hours the finger of God will show the appointed work. It is only when man misses the Divine guidance, doing what no providential teaching has marked out, that he stumbleth: then he may well stumble, for the light (which during the day shines round him and entering the eye becomes within him light for guidance) is no longer in him. As applied to Himself the words of Jesus mean: ‘Following the will of God which leads Me into Judea again, I am walking in the light, I cannot “stumble” whatever may befell Me there.'