Jesus is the light of the world. (John 8:12)
Here is a photo of the sunset one day, not long ago, from my house. It was spectacular to say the least.
In thinking about Jesus being the light of the world, I often think about the sun and how the sun lights the world.
Jesus lights the world too.
The bible says that God is Light, in him is no darkness at all. Jesus being the Son of God, is like the sun; He gives the light of God, true spiritual light, unto this world. He is, we are tutored in the book of John, "the light of the world."
There has been a lot of rain outside lately. It seems like there has been stormclouds. cold and mosly rain, rain, rain. It has been raining for days on end since my return from the warm, dry desert. I think it was raining the whole time we were gone. At any rate, I have found myself feeling the effects of this cold and lack of sunshine. Everything has been so wet. I have not even gone out to the garden for days now. I am certain that it is overrun with fast-growing weeds, and I fear that the seeds I have planted out there are drowned or molding. It is so cold and wet that the snow has returned to the higher elevations of Mt. Spokane!
For several days in a row, I could really sympathize with people who live over on the west side of this state. Rain, Rain and more rain has pretty much been the forecast for a while. I have bought two umbrellas this week. Yesterday, however, the sun was out, and I felt a lot like the "eensy weensy spider"... climbing up the waterspout as I enjoyed the sunshiny day, and yet the weatherforcast is for more rain.
Today is overcast again, but warmer. However, today, despite the rain, I had another ray of sunshine in my life. It was actually, SONshine. I once more realized how thankful I am to God for His Word.... for His Word being preached... or rather proclaimed by those who love God and know His Word. Funny, how God "reigns," despite the "rain."
There is a rather cold and gloomy aspect to this world and I have been personally vexed by it lately. I do however know the victory to it all is in Jesus. I am thankful for light in the midst of darkness and the truth of God that give hope in turmoil and shines like a light in the darkness and gives new life in a dying world. I love God and trust in His promises in His Word. As Jesus's disciple, Simon Peter, said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Though hast the words of eternal life and we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. (John 6:68)
God is light and His Word is, as the psalmist says, "a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." (Psalm 119:105) And as for Jesus, His words are spirit and they are life.... bringing the light of God... bringing truth, into the world, lighting even the darkest of places.
We are children of the light, creatures of the day. Good seed grounded in truth.
Sunflowers.... (or is it sonflowers?)
Marvelously, God makes the rain fall on both the just and unjust.... (Matthew 5:45)
I find myself marveling a bit myself at the spiritual gloomyness that I perceive to be falling all around lately. It is a lot like the dreary rain and cold. I find myself seeking shelter from the storm in God's Word. When I am in the Word... and when I hear others preaching and proclaiming God's Word, I am comforted by the light it brings.
God's word is living and active... sharper than a double edged sword. (Hebrews 4:12) It cuts through the darkness like rays of light from heaven. It helps me to see things in God's light and perspective much more clearly than on my own. His word gives life and gives me hope.
As I type this, I am listening to a pastor named Paul teach about how Jesus, the Bread of Life, when we come to him, feeds our heart, our mind and soul. He feeds us and He satisfies all the longings of our heart of hearts. He makes us whole.
This makes me think of another interesting homonym. Whole and hole.
How about "wholly" and "holy," or even holey?
Words fascinate me.
There is "wholly," as in completely, or to the whole amount; and there is "holy," as in declared sacred, having a spiritually pure quality, devoted, separated or set apart unto God. Then there is also "holey," as in, something solid with gaps in it, lacking in being solid, full of gaps or pits.)
Funny how God through Jesus Christ, fills the holes, (gaps and cavities in us) with himself and makes us complete; (whole) or rather, holy. (a.k.a. righteous with his own righteousness, and thereby sanctified. Instead of being full of holes... we are holy.
We who believe on Christ are a chosen generation, a royal preisthood, an holy nation.... a peculiar people that we should shew forth the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light." (From 1 Peter Chapter 2:)
"...as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby; If ye so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious."
It tells us too that we are, "a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people," that we should shew forth the praises of him who has "called us out of darkness and into his marvelous light."
 |
| Grapes on the vine in the sunshine. |
