December
11, 2003
YOUR
LIGHT HAS COME!
"Arise,
shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord
is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the
earth, and deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise
over you, and His glory will be seen upon you" (Isaiah
60:1, 2, NKJV).
"Your
light has come." Jesus is represented here as the "light".
"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did
not comprehend it... Light has come
into the world and men loved darkness rather than light, because
their deeds were evil... I am the light of the world. He who
follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light
of life... As long as I am in the world, I am the light of
the world... A little while longer the light is with you.
Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you;
he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.
While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may
become sons of light... I have come as a light into the world,
that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness...
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them
a light has shined" (John 1:4, 5; 3:19; 8:12; 9:5; 12:35,
36, 46; Isaiah 9:2. See also Matthew 4:16).
Those
who receive Him and believe in Him are admonished, "You
are the light of the world... Let your light so shine before
men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father
in heaven" (Matthew 5:14, 16).
"Through
social relations, Christianity comes in contact with the world.
Everyone who receives illumination from the Source of life
and light is to brighten the pathway of those who know not
the Light of life. "Social power, sanctified by the grace
of Christ, must be improved in winning souls to the Saviour.
Let the world see that we are not selfishly absorbed in our
own interests, but that we desire others to share our blessings
and privileges. Let them see that our religion does not make
us unsympathetic or exacting. Let all who profess to have
found Christ, minister as He did for the benefit of men"
(God's Amazing Grace, p. 125).
We are
channels through whom the Lord can send his light and grace
to our neighbors and friends and thus to the world. After
all, making friends for God is making friends for eternity.
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