Child of the Light

“I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light”

A devotion looking at how we are called to be a Child of the Light from God to the world. 

SCRIPTURE:

You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, so live your life as children of light. —Ephesians 5:8—

THOUGHT:

Did you know that when you dream, you only dream in black and white? Frankly, it is impossible to dream in color. You are saying, “Yes, I do!” Well……no. You
dream “ABOUT” colors and you recognize the “memories” of color, but you cannot dream “IN” color. Scientifically, color is only possible with light. Color is the reflection of light. Think of the rainbow. Colors do not magically appear in the sky. I know, you are thinking of the miraculous sign of Gods’ covenant with Noah in the form of the rainbow. Yet, just as there was no rain before the Ark, there also was no rainbow. It was only after God allowed rain to fall, that the scientific, weather-related circumstances allowed by God, did the rainbow to appear.

When we finally, thankfully, lay our heads down at night, and close our eyes in grateful resignation, we are in darkness. Now, if the television or a nightlight is on or the moonlight sneaks through the window, then we are not in complete darkness. Yet, when we journey from closing our eyes to deep REM sleep, where dreams occur, we have arrived at the weigh station of dreams. No colors can exist. It is not until we either open our eyes, or come out of REM sleep, or a light is turned on, are we able to see colors. The color that we believe we are “seeing” is really only a “memory” of color. For example, if in my dreams I “see” a blue ocean with waves crashing and seagulls squawking, it is only a memory of what I have experienced visually in a previous moment. I cannot see the blues, greens, or even the white of that scene. My brain though, can recall the memory of that scene, and thankfully give me a recollection that is colorful, vibrant, and seemingly real.

The Bible often refers to God or Jesus or the Holy Spirit as the concept of light. In fact, Jesus even says “I Am the Light of the World.” We also know that the Bible utilized the concept of darkness as sin and evil. Without light, there is only darkness. In opposition though, light extinguishes the darkness. Light allows us to “see,” recognize, acknowledge, and thoroughly savor the colors, vibrancy, shades, and tones. Light is generous in its rewards that darkness not only cannot provide, but in fact, escapes in fear of the ramifications of the light. Consider these scriptures:

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light. —John 1:5—

All of you are children of light and children of the day. We don’t belong to night or darkness. —1 Thessalonians 5:5—

So, it can be said, that if we stay “in the light” or stay confident in our faith in Jesus Christ, we are not only rescued from the darkness, but also are given a vision of what could be. When we believe, we are banishing the darkness of sin and evil, and welcoming the light that brings color to our spirits.

Now, sometimes we do not like to see what is in front of us when the light is present. Like flipping the light switch on in a dirty and cluttered room, sometimes we feel a need to revert to the darkness when we did not have to face what is in front of us. We tend to hide in the darkness of sins committed or of realities that we do not want to address. Still, we know what happens if someone dwells in darkness. Death is inevitable and frankly, no one may even know that we are dead. How can they? They do not know we are hiding in the recesses sans light. In fact, if we do not know about the light of salvation, it may not even “dawn” on us that we are in darkness. Pun intended. So sleep, per chance to dream, but recognize our need for light, our need for color, our need for Jesus Christ.

“God is light and there is no darkness in him at all.” — 1 John 1:5 —

PRAYER:

Light of the world, my Savior and God, Jesus Christ, please come into my spirit and heart. Illumine me. Show me the darkness of my sins. Show me the brightness of salvation from my sins. Light my path and guide me into Your Arms. Do not let me stumble in the darkness, but allow me to run, bravely and without hinderance, into Your Light of goodness. AMEN.

Be a Child of the Light!