Light, What Is It?

We carry flashlights, we flick on the lights in our living rooms, we enjoy the safety that our auto headlights provide when we want to drive at night, but how often do we think about what light is?  How often do we think about the value of light?

Elements essential to life are: appropriate temperature range, water, nitrogen, nothing that kills life, oxygen, and light.  Just so, spiritual light from the Bible, God’s word, is essential to a vibrant, successful Christian life.

Genesis 1:3, records, “God said, ‘Let there be light, and there was light.’”  Why did God first create light?  When researching the nature of light, I discovered that light, unlike physical objects that take up space and have weight, does not take up space, nor does it have weight.  However, it is potent!  Light is one way God transfers energy through space. We can make light complicated by talking about its interacting electric and magnetic fields, quantum mechanics, etc, but just remember this—light is energy!   Now, it is clearer as to why God first created light; He is the source of all energy, and it was He who spoke matter and life into existence. Needless to say, this speaking of energy and life into existence required power far beyond the comprehension of man. (See Genesis chapters 1-3)

Jesus Christ, God’s Son, called Himself the “light of the world.”   Jesus, being a part of the Godhead, like the Father, demonstrated that He is the source of energy and life, when He arose from the grave.  Being crucified for us on Friday, He rested in the tomb over the Sabbath, and arose the first day of the week.  It is through His resurrection that Christians have the blessed hope of putting off mortality and taking on immortality at the second coming of Christ.  Now, we are subject to death; at the resurrection, we shall no longer be subject to death because we shall have been given immortality.

Christ’s followers are to be light in a dark world of sin.  Sin is the breaking of any of God’s commands, verbal or written.  (1 John 3:4) In Matthew 5: 16, Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father, Who is in heaven.” Christ’s followers are to be a light to their families, their friends, and their communities.   We are to be spiritual lights that shine forth hope in a world lost in suffering, sin, and eternal death. We are to exude spiritual energy to a world awash in materialism, secularism, skepticism, and determinism.  We are to bring hope through the resurrection of Christ, His perfect life, and His ascension to sit at the right hand of the Father in Heaven, where He is our mediator before the Father, offering His spilled blood to cover our confessed sins.  You see, we are not saved by works, but after finding conversion to Christ, good works will naturally follow.  When a husband loves his wife, he will naturally do things to please her.  Just so, when we love Christ, we shall follow His commands.

In addition to what we have seen, the Bible has much more to say about light.  “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm119:105) When we face difficulties in life, Christ’s word is there to shine a light upon our path and give us guidance.

My wife, Celia, enjoys growing plants, both indoors and outdoors.  This spring she has started many garden plants so that they will be ready for planting when the threat of frost is over.  She puts these plants in our southern windows so that they will receive maximum exposure to the sun, which provides them energy.  Within one day, the sun will draw a plant toward its light.  As the plant seeks the sunshine, so mankind needs to seek the source of life and energy, Jesus Christ our Savior.

Even though we live in a spiritually dark world, our little light will shine forth brightly and give guidance, hope, and direction to some lost soul awash in sin and experiencing utter discouragement.  What a privilege it is to be able to point a lost one to Jesus, who overcame death and offers eternal life to those who trust, believe, and follow Him.

Until next week, may God richly bless you and yours.

Contact: fhevener@oilart.com; (434) 392-6255; www.guthriememorial.org

©2017 by Fillmer Hevener