Light and Darkness

We will shine like stars in the universe,
Holding out Your truth in the darkest place.
We´ll be living for Your glory,
Jesus we´ll be living for Your glory.
We will burn so bright with Your praise O God,
And declare Your light to this broken world.
We´ll be living for Your glory,
Jesus we´ll be living for Your glory.

~Matt Redmond, Shine

In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness; and the darkness did not comprehend it.

~John 1:5

And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil.

~John 3:19

And there shall no longer be any night; and they shall not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them; and they shall reign forever and ever.

~Revelation 22:5

Have I mentioned in any recent posts that I love my job? I was reminded again this week what an opportunity God has blessed me with when one of our DHP authors, Susan Lenzkes, visited us. For someone like me who loves interacting with words and ideas (and even gets paid to do it!), there are fewer delights than getting to spend time with another person who loves interacting with words and ideas.

Susan has written several books for DHP, including Life Is Like Licking Honey Off a Thorn, When Life Takes What Matters, and Everybody's Breaking Pieces Off of Me. She led our Monday morning devotion time and then met with the RBC Our Daily Bread writers and the DHP editors. Susan is a warm person, and God's love radiates from her as she speaks. She led us in a discussion of the analogies God uses to help us understand His truths, and, of course, I shared one of my favorites: darkness and light. In fact I shared with her my recent realization (based on one of my pastor's sermons) that the reason those of us who are in Christ need not fear coming into the light is because we have nothing to hide; we are clothed in Christ's righteousness, so when God looks on us, that is what He sees.

Interestingly, Susan had been considering a couple of subjects to speak about at the RBC chapel on Tuesday. One of them was (by coincidence?) darkness and light. My bringing up the subject made her decide that darkness and light was the way to go. She shared a great insight: She explained that when we go through troubles, we are broken and cracked, and then God can use these "cracks" to allow the light to shine through us. A lovely image.

She read a brief devotional from one of her books entitled "When Christmas Isn't Welcome," about how difficult it can be to celebrate the holiday when we've had a year of losses. Susan writes: "And yet God sent the Light of the World into such darkness. All around there was oppression, sickness, and suffering. Christmas wasn't welcomed then either. It was shunted into the dark corner of a dank stable. Yet the animals, along with the weary and wondering new mother and her husband, found they were not blinded by the light of His glory. He left the brilliance of heaven behind and came with a soft cry into the night. Only a lantern lit the face of God . . . When we can't say, 'Merry Christmas,' perhaps we can whisper, 'Welcome, Light of the World.'

Jesus is the light, His Word lights our way, and we are to be light in the darkness. What beautiful ways God gives us to understand His truth.