April 21, 2020 – Click here to listen
It is said that the night is always the darkest just prior to sunrise. This was meant to imply that after trying times the sun will rise upon a new day. I was thinking about this today and it reminded me of God. Light is used to symbolize God, faith, or holiness throughout the Bible. Apart from God there is just blackness. In Genesis it was God who said let there be light and there was light. And it was Jesus who said I am the light of the world whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.
Jesus is the “word” and the psalmist wrote: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” And in Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? Centuries later the Apostle John wrote from exile in a cave on Patmos and gave us a glimpse of heaven: The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
We, the children of God, are to be as a light to others. Matthew 5:16 – In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. My wife and I have received at least a 1000 emails, texts, calls, and Facebook posts from children of God offering encouragement and assuring us that they are praying for us during this stressful time. We have “felt” the prayers and they have had a calming effect on us that can only come from God and His people. It is a perfect example of people walking in the light and love of Christ.
Light comes from the one and only true God, the Father in heaven. In the spiritual realm, light represents life. God is light, and He gives life. On the other hand, the enemy, Satan the Devil, is “the prince of darkness.” He represents death, which is what darkness represents in the spiritual realm. I shudder to think of how many people are hurting in these unusual times with a plague bearing down on the world, jobs lost, and no one to turn to (aside from politicians. Ugh!)
Being assigned the task of being the light of the world is needed now more than ever. We need to share the Gospel with those who have lost hope and to be a part of letting them know that there is hope through God and He is standing by to fulfill the needs of those who are suffering.
I’ve been an outdoorsman for most of my life and have had the pleasure of watching many sunrises and sunsets. I love sunrises the best because things just keep getting brighter. Sunsets melt away into darkness taking the light away like a thief in the night. Faith assures us there will be no sunsets for those who put their trust in the LORD.
Isaiah 60:19
The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.
Thank you, my brothers and sisters, for offering Teresa and I some of your light during this dark period.