Virtual Devotions

Dear Friends,

When we read Genesis 1:3, we saw that it is the power of God’s word that brings light into the world.  But as we conjure a mental picture in our minds of this event, we may subconsciously think to ourselves that the source of the light is the sun or the stars or some other naturally occurring phenomenon.  But neither the sun nor the stars nor any other celestial body have yet to be created.  As we try to imagine this light, we must remember this important aspect of it; that it has no source other than God Himself.

Light is the very nature of God.  Much of the Scripture speaks to this fact that God is light and in the opening verses of the Gospel of John, which is written in parallel to the opening verses of Genesis, John proclaims that Jesus Christ is the Word and the Light, which gives further evidence to the divine source and nature of the light. 

Being the very nature of God, the light is completely and perfectly aligned with His will, it is pleasing to Him and affirmed by Him and this is how we should understand the meaning of the word good in this context.  Also because the light is the very essence of God, it is holy.  If you recall my discussion some months ago about holiness, you will recall that the word holy means to be set apart.  So it is no surprise that when God floods the universe with His light, He immediately separates His holy light from the darkness. 

When Christ told his followers that they are the light of the world, I believe it was an indication to them that they were to demonstrate these same characteristics of goodness and holiness.  They were to live their lives in complete and perfect alignment with the will of God, being pleasing to Him in all that they do and striving for God’s affirmation.  And they are to be holy, to separate themselves from all that is not aligned with the will of God, not pleasing to Him and not worthy of his affirmation.

And this holds true for us as believers today.  As we examine ourselves in God’s light against the backdrop of His divine nature, we should ask ourselves if our goals and aspirations are aligned with God’s intentions for ourselves and not with our own, if our actions and thoughts are pleasing to God, if we are striving for God’s affirmation and if we have separated ourselves from the darkness of this world?  This is our call, to be the light of the world and to walk in the light as He is in the light.

In Christ,

David