'light' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” vs. 9 1 Peter 2:6-10 As the age of denominationalism slowly grinds to an end, it’s easy to become discouraged. It’s not easy to accept that what we found so helpful and precious means virtually nothing to our children and grandchildren. But the extinction…
Daily Devotions
For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.” vss. 8-9 Ephesians 5:8-14 In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said to his disciples, “Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works, and give glory to God.” That theme dominated the faith and practice of the early church, and…
Daily Devotions
For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” vs. 20 Matthew 5:17-20 Jesus wasn’t interested in having his followers be “law-abiding citizens.” He wanted them to be better than that! There were already plenty of scribes and Pharisees in the land, and they were obsessed with keeping every commandment of law. They were known for their righteousness. There was no need for more people like them.…
Daily Devotions
You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden… In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” vss. 14, 16 Matthew 5:12-16 There is a power in these words from Jesus that goes beyond human understanding, and we can only begin to grasp their significance as we realize that Jesus is talking about the light…
Daily Devotions
…he says, ‘It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’” vs. 6 Isaiah 49:5-7 When the prophet uses the word “servant” in this section of Isaiah, he’s almost always referring to the people of Israel. They are God’s chosen ones, and…
Daily Devotions
Day of Epiphany In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?’” vss.1-2 Matthew 2:1-12 In most Spanish-speaking countries the Day of Epiphany, or the Day of the Kings, is celebrated with as much enthusiasm as Christmas. The Three Kings ride in street parades, welcome children in department stores, and hand out gifts in…
Daily Devotions
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness — on them light has shined.” vs. 2 Isaiah 9:2-5 This little verse from Isaiah is familiar to folks who worship on Christmas and is often used as an introduction to the liturgy. Yet in recent years there are some who maintain that the light/darkness metaphor has contributed to the continuing problem of racism. They say that when light represents…
Daily Devotions
But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” vss. 27-28 Luke 6:27-31 In the gospel of Matthew, following the beatitudes, Jesus tells his disciples that they are the light of the world and the salt of the earth. Luke’s version of the beatitudes is similar, but here Jesus’ instructions to the disciples describe more fully what it means to be…
Daily Devotions
They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.” vs. 4 Psalm 112:1-4 Even though the world seems to be overrun with greedy and deceptive liars and rascals, the psalmist insisted that there was another side to the picture. He observed that there was a vast cadre of folks who lived according to the precepts of the law and who brought light to dark places. On our better days, when our eyes…
Daily Devotions
In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.” vss. 21-22 Ephesians 2:19-22 Christians have traditionally seen these verses from Ephesians as an ancient description of the Church as the Body of Christ, and they’ve not been wrong. By our baptisms we have become members of Christ’s body. As such we are his living presence in the world,…
Daily Devotions
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.” vs. 5 1 John 1:1-7 Some of those who have experienced what are sometimes called “near death experiences” report having had a sense of being drawn to a light, and that it gave them a great feeling of peace. Skeptics, upon hearing those stories, dismiss them quickly, saying that this is just what happens…
Daily Devotions
And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.” vs. 19 John 3:18-21 We don’t like to talk about judgment, and some have pretty much eliminated the word from their religious vocabulary. They prefer to believe that since God is good and abounding in steadfast love, there’s no room for judgment. That would be news to the gospel writer! From his perspective there was…