Illumination
Ever thought about what it actually is to illuminate something? To do this we must first understand light. Physical light excites or pushes electrons in a particular set of wavelengths which our eyes can perceive and allows us to detect an objects presence with the sense of sight as the light bounces off them. The actual process is way above my head complicated, but that is how I understand it. The same power that is able to do this also has the capability to affect wavelengths out of the realm of our eyesight – take getting a sunburn for example...our skin is being illuminated. We see the results of it, but not the glow without special glasses. Even though we can’t see that particular wavelength we know it is there from the effect it has on our skin. Sometimes we can feel it, sometimes we don’t.
For millennia humans have endeavored to chase away darkness and have gone from primitive fire pits and torches, to candles, to fancy modern flashlights and lanterns than can shine bright. Once darkness envelops us, we look to thrust it aside so we can find our way. Sometimes, even though there is light all around, we have need to push back darkness at times – like to find something under a couch for example. Who hasn’t gotten a new flashlight and gone into a dark room to see how good it chases away darkness? Darkness lurks in many places, so many that some of us carry flashlights around. It is a good feeling to have power over the darkness and gives us the ability to move about without stumbling. Light good, darkness bad. Ever been afraid of the dark?
So that is simply a meager attempt to describe something we all know about. Light is fundamental to our existence. There are few that would not understand the basic concept of physical light and what it does. How it illuminates the path, gives us perspective of what we see, lets us see and interact with other people, and makes us safe. It makes possible a host of things, like driving, riding a bike, going to the store… Without it, in total darkness, things would be very difficult to accomplish. For example could you imagine cooking dinner in total darkness without even the fridge light? Some that are blind – unable to perceive the light – must live that way forever in danger of getting lost, tripping, even being preyed upon at times. A huge disadvantage and need for someone to guide them so they don’t stumble or walk into traffic.
But to illuminate, shine light on, make visible, or remove darkness in the physical sense is only one definition of what God created. The dictionary contains a definition much more abstract. Spiritual illumination, inner light, enlightenment, truth. The dictionary which gives tangible explanations for words gives credence to the spiritual aspect of light and clues to it’s power. Strong’s describes, Gen 1, that particular first mention of the word light as illumination – in every sense including lightning, happiness, etc. Truth, honor, integrity, glory, purity the Bible says that God is all those things and more – He is the light. He then separated the light from the darkness where He set apart all impurity and we get the clue of the meaning’s implication...darkness is figuratively misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness...obscurity. Then He created the sun (physical light) and the moon (night and day).
Light or dark. Good or evil. Righteous or wicked. Holy or not. These concepts of beliefs, ways of thinking, paths of life have been considered, pondered on, researched, and the resulting choices implemented by virtually every human being since Adam because of the fact that this kind of light is very real and we are built to search. What most understand is that there must be some kind of standard – a baseline if you will – to be able to determine exactly what is good or evil. Some use their own personal experiences, some will look to the behavior of those around them, many will search religions or philosophies dreamed up by self proclaimed masters of meditation and introspection. Then there are those who consider these concepts irrelevant to their life who react to each situation depending on their present circumstances and feelings forever stumbling around in darkness, many of whom live their lives striving for the pure source of all light anyway – the yearning is built in.
The yen-yang is a visual representation of the philosophy that in all darkness there is some light and in all light there is some darkness. I put it to you that this is a flawed thinking from men who are striving toward the light, but recognize that no matter what there will always be a black spot in us we are powerless over. To grasp the idea of an ultimate God that ever was and ever will be is kind of beyond our brain capacity and then there is the whole issue with desire for control...anyway...
The bible declares that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. In thousands of years the Bible has yet to be dis-proven. In fact archaeological digs are constantly bringing up evidence of it’s accuracy. Pure unadulterated light of every kind of what God is made of. Truth, integrity, joy, omnipotence, brilliance, the list goes on and on. All the pure physical, character, and wisdom aspects there are. When the Holy Spirit becomes part of you so does that light. It is unquenchable, brilliant, powerful, and fully capable of driving away darkness not only for you, but for those around you.
It is amazing how much spiritual light parallels with physical light. It illuminates our path, pushes back and gives us power over the darkness, keeps us from stumbling, gives us perspective, allows us to function without the hindrance of blindness, and, among other things, gives us freedom from the darkness which surely would envelop us. Sometimes we feel it and sometimes we don’t. The parallels continue…
The implications of all this are life changing. There is a world full of darkness all around us with people stumbling and falling and going the wrong way. They are hurting, groaning, and hearts have become hardened by the icy clutches of the world. Some don’t believe they are worthy of this light among many other perceived justifications to give up, but we know the truth and have the unique ability to shine His light into their life once we have found this marvelous light. It becomes a part of us and we are charged, empowered, lit, and filled with a portion of it. It changes us. Allow that light to shine through you. Let your smile be infectious, your words full of life, ears open for His voice. The power of that can illuminate the path of someone lost in darkness, can keep one in the sphere of the shine from stumbling, bring sight to one blinded and unable to find the light, and melt the icy grip that keeps them in darkness. It will change them.
Light good, darkness bad...
The harvest plentiful, but workers few.
Ever thought about what it actually is to illuminate something? To do this we must first understand light. Physical light excites or pushes electrons in a particular set of wavelengths which our eyes can perceive and allows us to detect an objects presence with the sense of sight as the light bounces off them. The actual process is way above my head complicated, but that is how I understand it. The same power that is able to do this also has the capability to affect wavelengths out of the realm of our eyesight – take getting a sunburn for example...our skin is being illuminated. We see the results of it, but not the glow without special glasses. Even though we can’t see that particular wavelength we know it is there from the effect it has on our skin. Sometimes we can feel it, sometimes we don’t.
For millennia humans have endeavored to chase away darkness and have gone from primitive fire pits and torches, to candles, to fancy modern flashlights and lanterns than can shine bright. Once darkness envelops us, we look to thrust it aside so we can find our way. Sometimes, even though there is light all around, we have need to push back darkness at times – like to find something under a couch for example. Who hasn’t gotten a new flashlight and gone into a dark room to see how good it chases away darkness? Darkness lurks in many places, so many that some of us carry flashlights around. It is a good feeling to have power over the darkness and gives us the ability to move about without stumbling. Light good, darkness bad. Ever been afraid of the dark?
So that is simply a meager attempt to describe something we all know about. Light is fundamental to our existence. There are few that would not understand the basic concept of physical light and what it does. How it illuminates the path, gives us perspective of what we see, lets us see and interact with other people, and makes us safe. It makes possible a host of things, like driving, riding a bike, going to the store… Without it, in total darkness, things would be very difficult to accomplish. For example could you imagine cooking dinner in total darkness without even the fridge light? Some that are blind – unable to perceive the light – must live that way forever in danger of getting lost, tripping, even being preyed upon at times. A huge disadvantage and need for someone to guide them so they don’t stumble or walk into traffic.
But to illuminate, shine light on, make visible, or remove darkness in the physical sense is only one definition of what God created. The dictionary contains a definition much more abstract. Spiritual illumination, inner light, enlightenment, truth. The dictionary which gives tangible explanations for words gives credence to the spiritual aspect of light and clues to it’s power. Strong’s describes, Gen 1, that particular first mention of the word light as illumination – in every sense including lightning, happiness, etc. Truth, honor, integrity, glory, purity the Bible says that God is all those things and more – He is the light. He then separated the light from the darkness where He set apart all impurity and we get the clue of the meaning’s implication...darkness is figuratively misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness...obscurity. Then He created the sun (physical light) and the moon (night and day).
Light or dark. Good or evil. Righteous or wicked. Holy or not. These concepts of beliefs, ways of thinking, paths of life have been considered, pondered on, researched, and the resulting choices implemented by virtually every human being since Adam because of the fact that this kind of light is very real and we are built to search. What most understand is that there must be some kind of standard – a baseline if you will – to be able to determine exactly what is good or evil. Some use their own personal experiences, some will look to the behavior of those around them, many will search religions or philosophies dreamed up by self proclaimed masters of meditation and introspection. Then there are those who consider these concepts irrelevant to their life who react to each situation depending on their present circumstances and feelings forever stumbling around in darkness, many of whom live their lives striving for the pure source of all light anyway – the yearning is built in.
The yen-yang is a visual representation of the philosophy that in all darkness there is some light and in all light there is some darkness. I put it to you that this is a flawed thinking from men who are striving toward the light, but recognize that no matter what there will always be a black spot in us we are powerless over. To grasp the idea of an ultimate God that ever was and ever will be is kind of beyond our brain capacity and then there is the whole issue with desire for control...anyway...
The bible declares that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. In thousands of years the Bible has yet to be dis-proven. In fact archaeological digs are constantly bringing up evidence of it’s accuracy. Pure unadulterated light of every kind of what God is made of. Truth, integrity, joy, omnipotence, brilliance, the list goes on and on. All the pure physical, character, and wisdom aspects there are. When the Holy Spirit becomes part of you so does that light. It is unquenchable, brilliant, powerful, and fully capable of driving away darkness not only for you, but for those around you.
It is amazing how much spiritual light parallels with physical light. It illuminates our path, pushes back and gives us power over the darkness, keeps us from stumbling, gives us perspective, allows us to function without the hindrance of blindness, and, among other things, gives us freedom from the darkness which surely would envelop us. Sometimes we feel it and sometimes we don’t. The parallels continue…
The implications of all this are life changing. There is a world full of darkness all around us with people stumbling and falling and going the wrong way. They are hurting, groaning, and hearts have become hardened by the icy clutches of the world. Some don’t believe they are worthy of this light among many other perceived justifications to give up, but we know the truth and have the unique ability to shine His light into their life once we have found this marvelous light. It becomes a part of us and we are charged, empowered, lit, and filled with a portion of it. It changes us. Allow that light to shine through you. Let your smile be infectious, your words full of life, ears open for His voice. The power of that can illuminate the path of someone lost in darkness, can keep one in the sphere of the shine from stumbling, bring sight to one blinded and unable to find the light, and melt the icy grip that keeps them in darkness. It will change them.
Light good, darkness bad...
The harvest plentiful, but workers few.