Are We Living As People Of Light?
Good Morning Friends,
It has been said that early to bed and early to rise makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise. And perhaps that is true for one spends more time in the light. And that I think makes us happier. As I mature I tend to live more in that way. Along this line of thinking today’s scripture seems to be saying that we should give up the darkness of our emotional baggage…to sin less and love more if we are to become the Christians that Jesus would have us to be. And one cannot really argue with that at all as we count the cost of engagement and determine the direction of our lives guided by the lamp of scripture. And as we evaluate how to jettison our dark garbage, we may just want to also ask today’s question for it is related to how much baggage we have and how much darkness we can be protected against. Are We Living As People Of Light?
Scripture: In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
Genesis 1:1-3 (NRSV)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being.
John 1:1-3 (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)
Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light;
Romans 13:8-12 (NRSV)
Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to them, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.
Luke 14:25-33 (NRSV)
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Psalm 119:105 (NRSV)
Message: Today we explore things that lighten our load for the journey with Jesus and help light the path in our own spiritual development.
And it comes to my mind that when Jesus walked the earth it was not particularly safe to walk around at night but that it might just be a bit safer if others knew you had given away all your possessions and if one had a lamp on loan to light one’s path. Today’s scripture from Luke suggests that part of the way to light the path is to make wise decisions. And here in the text Jesus is saying that our decisions need to be exposed to a process that counts the cost and then decides, with some degree of illumination of what it will take to pay that price to have the desired result. Our passage from Luke gives us an illustration to drive home the importance of this decision-making process that helps us to see the risks involved. The metaphor is of a king going to war. You see, sufficient thought and commitment needs to go into the process to see it to a successful completion. Having gained knowledge, having seen the possibility, having counted the cost and made the decision, we must step out as an act of faith empowered by grace. The light literally needs to be turned on as a protection. So too the passage from Romans tells us to be freed of the darkness of debt to one another and instead to recognize our debt to Christ. And in this lighter, transformed life we are to focus on a devotion to God that comes out of a heart lightened by love. We are to avoid the darkness of the world and embrace a lifestyle of light. We are to wear God’s armor of light. We are to become creatures of the light of Christ.
Pray that our possessions do not possess us. Pray the weights of the world be removed from our dark life. Pray
we have the proper knowledge and vision before we engage in a decision-making process. Pray we make wise decisions. Pray we see the possibilities. Pray we count the costs. Pray we be obedient to God in taking the steps necessary to grow into the Christians God would have us to be. Pray we are debt free. Pray we realize that there are eternal consequences to the development of our souls. Pray we enjoy a full life of salvation and spiritual transformation that helps us to become creatures of the light. Pray therefor that we be people of love and light.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 