Daily Jewel

by Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK

“Have You Seen the Light?”

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before You as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder.

You have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” – Isaiah

“The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” - John 1:5

From the very beginning (and I do mean the beginning) “light” has held a deeply spiritual significance. Example, the first “act” of creation:

"...and God said, 'Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good -- suitable, pleasing -- and He approved it; and God separated the light from the darkness." - Genesis 1:3-4 (The Amplified Bible)

Since light was God’s actual (first act) of creation, it is apparent that light is necessary for life to exist in its fullness.

According to John chapter one, (from the Message) Jesus is called the “Life-Light.” I have also noticed that the author(s) of the Amplified Bible have LIFE capitalized, making it a proper noun or something that is very “personal.”

Since light is “Life,” then the natural progression, or regression as it were would make darkness, not only the opposite of light but of life as well.

"The earth was without form and an empty waste (void-producing no effect, useless) and darkness was upon the face of the very great deep..." --Genesis 1:2 (The Amplified Bible)

In his wonderful book, “The Journey of Desire,” John Eldridge makes this observation:

“Something awful has happened, something terrible. Something worse, even, than the fall of man. For in that greatest of all tragedies, we lost Paradise – and with it, everything that made life worth living. What has happened since is almost unthinkable; we’ve gotten used to it. We’re broken in to the idea that this is just the way things are. The people who walk in great darkness have adjusted their eyes.” (Page 9)

The concept of Jesus as “The Light” is far more than a Fancy metaphor. It is the means by which God is communicating (His Word) to us on how important He is to our daily lives and to life itself! So it begs the question…Have you seen the light?
Pastor J. T. Carnell