Gentle Reader,
On this, the last day of the 31 Days exercise, I am focused on the thing that grants us the ability to see: light. On this day that has been traditionally set aside for the celebration of darkness, I find that fitting.
When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, He went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.” – Matthew 6:12-16 (NKJV)
After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. – Matthew 17:1-2 (NKJV)
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
“Sovereign Lord, as You have promised,
You may now dismiss Your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
which You have prepared in the sight of all nations:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of Your people Israel.” – Luke 2:25:-32 (NKJV)In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. – John 1:1-5 (NKJV)
When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” – John 8:12 (NKJV)
I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should stay in darkness. – John 12:46 (NKJV)
Jesus is the Light. He is the Truth. The Way. The Life. It is only by acknowledging Him as Lord and Savior, humbly submitting our lives to His authority, that we can have any kind of peace. It is only through Him that we are able to live the quiet life, free of chaos and dangerous entanglements. There is no other hope. There is no other Lord.
I am at a loss to express my thankfulness at the precious, gracious condescension of God. We who are bent inward upon ourselves, we who are prone to choose the selfish and destructive way, we who do not merit the attention of the Living, Holy, Righteous, Perfect God – we can be saved. We can be set right. We can have all the garbage stripped away. We need not live in pain and sorrow. We need not choose blindness.
We can see.
We can have the Light.
How desperate we are for Him!
For all posts in the 31 Days in the Quiet series, go here.