Are You Ready to Live in the Light of Christ?
Good Morning Friends,
I just went down to the street in the dark to get the paper. And it reminded me that in Bible times walking in darkness was a potentially deadly action. Thankfully I made it back. Of course the importance of light was a serious consideration two thousand years ago but so too today for us especially when it comes to spiritual light. Best I can figure it, the spiritual meaning of walking in the light is about grace bestowed in two ways. First about being in fellowship with God and one another and second, about receiving forgiveness. But capturing these themes intellectually is not the point. Pope Francis put it this way: “Grace is not part of consciousness; it is the amount of light in our souls, not knowledge nor reason.” Friends that is why we say with a bit of mystery that: “The Lord is my light” And as an act of faith that: “the light of God is the source and measure of all that is true.” So we need to wake up our souls. We need to rise and shine. We need to climb out of those coffins we have been calling life. Open our eyes. Grow to the light. Grow in the light. Shine forth His light of truth. Friends, from the beginning of creation it was designed so that we might live abundantly and produce abundantly, in the love of the light of life. Are You Ready to Live in the Light of Christ?
Scripture: in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.
John 1:4 (NRSV)
Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
Ephesians 5:11 (NRSV)
But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labor among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint-hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:12-18 (NRSV)
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.’
John 8:12 (NRSV)
Message: Light and Life are connected spiritually as well as scientifically. When Jesus came to a world that was in spiritual darkness and dead in its sin, He came as light and life. His light dispelled sin’s darkness wherever He went and the result was abundant life. This same light is within us as Christians. We too are to dispel darkness. We too are to shine a light in a way that makes those who are in darkness a bit more aware of their souls. So be aware that many resist Jesus and His truth when they experience light. And therefor know that when people encounter you, that they are encountering Christ in you. So be thankful that God choose to express Himself through you to give light and lift to those you encounter.
Christ’s death on the cross, the darkest hour of eternity and His resurrection, the brightest moment in all of history, instruct our souls. Like Christ we are born into a world of darkness in desperate need of light being born in us to shine through us so we might bear the fruit God has created us to produce. We have been given His light so that we might focus it on the darkness, a light to be focused on sacrifice, the sacrifice of a seed. Shining a light in a world consumed by darkness is often difficult work. Inviting Jesus to shine a light on our own darkness is the most difficult. Unfortunately we often do not have the patience to wait for the harvest the light prompts. It is also difficult because Christ’s light is moving. It is difficult to keep up but easy to stay in one place spiritually. To be in the light means you must be growing. Being a Christ-like light in a world sometimes means being in a clash with the world. This is a difficult journey that carries with it certain costs, costs we are reluctant to bear. Sometimes on the journey we find Christ in the culture and can encouraging it. Yes we live in a world that is sometimes light and sometimes dark. We live a life that is sometimes saint and sometimes sinner. So how do we engage the strength and power of the light in a world so changing? How can we be a transforming tool of Christ above the culture… a guiding hand?
Friends, it is a paradox of living in two kingdoms but having one King. Never the less it is our duty to be worshipping the King of Light. Our culture is linked to the cycle of light and darkness in our lives. Each day the sun rises and sets. Each season the days get either longer or shorter. But God has the timing down right. When the apple is to blossom God brings forth fruit. When we are to blossom, God brings forth fruit. He knows the exact time for everything to happen according to His purposes four soul. Submitting to those purposes and timing is the Christian Journey… our journey into the Light.
Pray for those in darkness. Pray scripture guides us on how we are to assist our brothers and sisters to take on a healthy response of restoring their fellowship with God and each other. Pray we realize we are called to be the bright sons of light and shining daughters of the day, gently guiding each other so we will experience the victory over sin, looking for the best in each other and always doing our best to bring it out. Pray we realize that being in the light of Christ is the only safe place to grow. Pray we live in the eternity of God’s light. Pray we learn to forgive in light of the fact we have been forgiven.
Pray we realize that Jesus is the way, the truth and the light for our journey. Pray we experience the energy of Jesus’ light that illuminates our dark world. Pray we experience the light of direction and deliverance. Pray we realize that Jesus did not hide His light and neither should we.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 