Are We Living Into The Light?
Good Morning Friends,
The challenge of loving a stranger and maybe someone with whom we would not recognize as like us, seems an unlikely evolutionary trait, and yet like the overwhelming self-interest of some, both realities demonstrates themselves in the lives of people and maybe in creation itself. We offer privilege to some and not to others. Some are hunters and others the hunted. And often as we seek to love we are faced with unintended consequences. Sometimes we are compelled to act, and it not seem completely rational. We wonder if we can help everyone and then are faced with individual decisions. Take the example of a child drowning in the rough surf and you are the only one around to see the event. Do you risk your own life saving that one child that you do not even know and perhaps one with whom you might consider… not one of us? The problem is a bit perplexing for many of us would jump in without a second thought and yet when it comes to similar potential negative outcomes in the lives of others, do to economics and access we might well turn a blind eye. We hide behind a veil of plausible deniability, but our alibies are lies. So, I wonder this morning if we are making as much progress as we would like to claim. Are We Living Into The 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)
When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.
Mark 6:53-56 (NSV)
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Psalm 119:105 (NRSV)
Message: 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 today we explore things that lighten our load for the journey with Jesus and help light the path in our own spiritual development…the light of love.
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. I would think that part of the way to light the path is to make wise decisions. But 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. Sometimes the decision-making process helps us to see the risks involved. Still, when it comes to love we must step out as an act of faith empowered by grace. The light literally needs to be turned on as a protection here. We need to be freed of the darkness of life and 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 where things are really turned around. Even the dark side of the moon. We avoid the darkness of the world by embracing a lifestyle of light and surprisingly looks a lot like risking. But if we wear God’s armor of light the risk is mitigated in a way. Ultimately becoming creatures of the light of Christ is the only safe path.
And So, science may be able to answer more questions about light than it can about love. For science cannot tell us what a tear means for another person or what laughter to a joke means for a person who did not get it or why Jesus was willing to die for us. Extending love is not only a great challenge of life, but also a great mystery. Friends, the magnitude of God’s love for us may never be fully comprehended even if we experience it.
Pray we love in a way that matters even though we do not completely understand it. Pray the weights of the world be removed from our dark life. Pray we make wise decisions. Pray we see the possibilities. Pray we count the costs but risk to love anyway. Pray we realize that there are eternal consequences to the development of our souls. Pray
we have an appreciation of Christ’s love and action in the world. Pray we share the blessings we have received. Pray we meet people where they are with compassion. Pray we realize that we have been freed to love everyone in the way the God loves. 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.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 