Live as a child of the light
Live as a child of the light
Ephesians 5:8-9 says For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—9 for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.
The light is one of the reasons I'm sure there is a God. Genesis tells us that the earth was dark then God said, "Let there be light and there was light." What an awesome God we have who can create light from nothing. The light we have from God illumines the day for us, shines bright on the plants to make them grow, evaporates water to create rain, provides nutrients for our bodies when we are outside in the sun. We associate light with all things good and dark with things not so good.
This scripture says "for once you were darkness." I remember the darkness. I remember the sadness I felt when I didn't feel like God was present in my life. I realize that I caused the darkness because I moved away from the light. I spent many years "in the dark" telling myself I was fine and all was good. But, still, my heart was dark.
The second part of verse 8 tells us to live as children of light. Once I found the light again, I understood that even in the darkness, God's light was still there for me if I would turn around and face it or open the door and let it come in. There are many metaphors for finding the light. But what does it mean to live as a child of the light. For me, it means living as a child of God, the God who created the light. It means sharing that light with others. I'm not a very good evangelist. I try to share my light through quiet acts of kindness or assistance. I hope people see the Light (with a capital L) when they see me. When the sun comes up in the morning and begins to shine upon the day, it doesn't make a loud noise to announce its arrival. It quietly and subtly rises in the east. It brings with it beautiful colors and the hope of the new start of a new day. If we live as a child of the light, we have that hope for a new day. I'd like to say that all of my days are light. They are not. I suffer from a depression that comes and goes and rears its ugly head at the most inopportune times. What brings me out of that depression is remembering to turn and face the light.
The other way I see that we can live as a child of the light, is to follow Jesus' words to us to love our neighbor. "For the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true." Jesus was the light that is good and right and true. Loving ones neighbor is not so easy in these confusing political times. It's hard to love ones neighbor who is who is hardhearted against those less fortunate or who are simply "different." Mother Teresa said "wash the plate, not because it is dirty nor because you were told to wash it, but because you love the next person who will use it." She understood even through her vow of poverty about living as a child of the light.
According to Paul in his letter to the Galatians: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." So if we look at where verse 9 says the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true, we see that the Light and the Spirit are one and the same. So to live as a child of the light, we must love, be joyful, be peacemakers, be patient and kind and good, we must have faith and have self control and, I believe, treat the world with gentleness. That is a pretty tall order, to do all of those things. But I believe, if we remember to face the Light, if we remember that we are children of the Light, and that Jesus is that Light, we will be able to find the light that we need in every situation to bear forth the fruit of the light. We will find the desire to "wash the plate" because we love the next person who will use it.
Let us pray:
O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light rises up in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what thou would have us to do, that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in thy light we may see light, and in thy straight path may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Ephesians 5:8-9 says For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—9 for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.
The light is one of the reasons I'm sure there is a God. Genesis tells us that the earth was dark then God said, "Let there be light and there was light." What an awesome God we have who can create light from nothing. The light we have from God illumines the day for us, shines bright on the plants to make them grow, evaporates water to create rain, provides nutrients for our bodies when we are outside in the sun. We associate light with all things good and dark with things not so good.
This scripture says "for once you were darkness." I remember the darkness. I remember the sadness I felt when I didn't feel like God was present in my life. I realize that I caused the darkness because I moved away from the light. I spent many years "in the dark" telling myself I was fine and all was good. But, still, my heart was dark.
The second part of verse 8 tells us to live as children of light. Once I found the light again, I understood that even in the darkness, God's light was still there for me if I would turn around and face it or open the door and let it come in. There are many metaphors for finding the light. But what does it mean to live as a child of the light. For me, it means living as a child of God, the God who created the light. It means sharing that light with others. I'm not a very good evangelist. I try to share my light through quiet acts of kindness or assistance. I hope people see the Light (with a capital L) when they see me. When the sun comes up in the morning and begins to shine upon the day, it doesn't make a loud noise to announce its arrival. It quietly and subtly rises in the east. It brings with it beautiful colors and the hope of the new start of a new day. If we live as a child of the light, we have that hope for a new day. I'd like to say that all of my days are light. They are not. I suffer from a depression that comes and goes and rears its ugly head at the most inopportune times. What brings me out of that depression is remembering to turn and face the light.
The other way I see that we can live as a child of the light, is to follow Jesus' words to us to love our neighbor. "For the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true." Jesus was the light that is good and right and true. Loving ones neighbor is not so easy in these confusing political times. It's hard to love ones neighbor who is who is hardhearted against those less fortunate or who are simply "different." Mother Teresa said "wash the plate, not because it is dirty nor because you were told to wash it, but because you love the next person who will use it." She understood even through her vow of poverty about living as a child of the light.
According to Paul in his letter to the Galatians: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." So if we look at where verse 9 says the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true, we see that the Light and the Spirit are one and the same. So to live as a child of the light, we must love, be joyful, be peacemakers, be patient and kind and good, we must have faith and have self control and, I believe, treat the world with gentleness. That is a pretty tall order, to do all of those things. But I believe, if we remember to face the Light, if we remember that we are children of the Light, and that Jesus is that Light, we will be able to find the light that we need in every situation to bear forth the fruit of the light. We will find the desire to "wash the plate" because we love the next person who will use it.
Let us pray:
O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light rises up in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what thou would have us to do, that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in thy light we may see light, and in thy straight path may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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