Light of the World

Misty Mountain top in the fall. Simply breathtaking and spectacular views. This weekend, we were blessed with a weekend getaway from some “framily” (friends that have become family). They chose a large, yet cozy house in Hunter Mountain, Upstate NY.

Driving up along those roads was incredibly frightening as we wound our way up in the dark. We were aware of the cliffs that dropped down on one side. It was scary realizing all that was between us and the sheer drop was a flimsy guard rail. Flimsy as it was, I was grateful for it. My husband, kids and I were never so happy as to reach our destination.

Seeing our surroundings that next morning made the trip worth it. We're from NYC. City-slickers. We’re simply not used to winding mountain roads with cliffs and running streams. The beauty that we enjoyed seemed to sink down into my soul. The darkness during the drive the night before hid all the beauty surrounding us. It wasn’t until daylight came, when that beauty was revealed.

I’m reminded of the Bible passage in 1 John 1:5 that says, “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” Let that sink in. There is no darkness in Him at all. Take, for example, a completely dark room. When you enter it, you blink, your eyes adjusting to the dark. You may be able to see a tiny bit. When a flashlight is turned on, you can only see as far as the cone of light is dispersed. Imagine turning on the overhead ceiling light. Most of the room comes into view but there are corners of the room that still may be in the dark.

Now imagine when God spoke everything into existence. The creation account in Genesis 1:1-4 states, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters and God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.”

Then, Jesus said of himself in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” In other words, this light enables us to see everything good in its true light. Without the light of Jesus, you don’t see anything the way you should see it.

If we follow Jesus, He says we will actually have Him. He is the light of life. Let's get back to the darkened room with the flashlight. The implication of what Jesus is, is not the idea of the flashlight. He is the sun. He dispels all darkness. Not even a corner is darkened when we realize that He is the light that comes from the Father.

John Piper said it this way, “The light of Jesus illuminates everything with its proper beauty. Without the light of Jesus in our hearts, enabling us to see the world that was made for the light, we can’t see the world the way it is in God’s eyes. Everything is dark. This world was made to be illumined by this light.”

I am thankful for that light on that misty morning that illuminated the breathtaking mountain landscape. We were able to take in all its beauty. Just as I am more than thankful for the light of Jesus that illuminates this dark world. My prayer is that we fully realize we carry His light into this world. Let’s light it up.