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Monday 2 January 2012

Shine a light into the darkness



So much of the Gospel message uses the metaphor of night and day, or dark and light.

There's Christ's words in John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

These words must have had a big impact on John, because he elaborates in 1 John 1:5-7
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Here in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10, Paul is giving comfort to the Thessalonians about End Times, and reassuring them that it's the people who live in the dark that should fear destruction when the Lord comes 'like a thief in the night'.
Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.  While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 

Paul again, in 2 Corinthians 4:6 writes
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness”, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:14-15), Jesus says
"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house".

That's our calling as Christians - to shine our light where there is darkness; allow God's word to turn night into day as it did in Genesis 1:3
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

All Bible references: NIV
Photo (c) Lynda Bowyer Photography - All rights reserved 

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