Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Psalm 119:105 (ESV)
Series Focus: “Let There Be Light”
Imagine the darkest (physical) place you have ever encountered alone. It could be your own house during a power outage, maybe a basement cellar, or perhaps a cave. Think back to that moment. Were you afraid of the dark? I was. As a child and into early adulthood the thought of being in complete darkness was quite possibly the worst thing I could experience. Even in my own bedroom I would shutter if the lights went out suddenly leaving me to wonder—what if something or someone is in here? Physically I felt my heart race and it was hard to catch my breath. The longer I was in the dark the more thoughts could creep in and terrify me. Honestly, the concept of cell phone flashlights might be the most genius of all inventions!
Light reveals all that is around us. It allows us to see clearly, to walk steadily and to find our way to where we are going. We can avoid stumbling over rocks or running into furniture. Without the light of the sun or your car headlights, how long do you think you could drive up a mountain road without going over the edge? So, can we all agree we are grateful for light?
Four of my favorite words in the Bible might possibly be “Let there be light.” As we journey together through this new writing series, I ask you to come with a heart ready to receive all that God has for you. Come, listen, and learn with us. Let’s watch God reveal that the Bible is so much more than words on paper. It is God’s Word. Alive. Active. Ready to shine upon you. Grab your own bible and open to the very first book—Genesis. Here we go, with eyes wide open!
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. (Genesis 1:1-4 ESV)
Knowing God created the heavens and the earth, then chose to breathe, to speak, “Let there be light,” tells me this must be intentional. Truly, God is all powerful, so He didn’t HAVE to speak, but He chose to. God had a plan for the creation of the world and it included His spoken words. His Word is alive and active. His plan was and is perfect. For our benefit, He inspired man to record all that is included in the Bible—but every word is His breath.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV)
Once God saw that the light was good, He separated the light from the darkness. He clearly distinguished between them right from the start. The light represented what was good, beneficial, and brought life. The darkness would bring chaos, sinfulness, and death.
As we explore scriptures during this series, we are going to learn that God is Light, Jesus is the LIGHT of the world, and the Holy Spirit shines through us, when we receive Jesus as our Savior. Just as God separated the light and the dark in the beginning, He will remove the darkness from us when we open our eyes to His truth and abide in it. As we abide in His truth, the Light of Christ shines through us.
This privilege to carry this light is priceless. For the light to be Light, it must illuminate and shine from its source. The source, sister, is Christ in you! We are called to shine His light to others. We can do this, and we must do this. We are called by God to be light in this very dark world so that those who do not know Jesus will have the chance to receive eternal life with our Creator. When God speaks—they are more than words—they are the Living Word. Hallelujah!
For those wondering if I was ever able to conquer my fear of the dark—By the power of the Holy Spirit—absolutely!
Holding Fast to Hope,
Jen
Scripture References: Genesis 1:1-5; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; John 15:5; John 8:31-32
