"Light is sown like seed for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart." Psalm 97:11 It is so amazing to me how you can read a book of the Bible over and over, and continue to find treasure. Love this verse!! As I walked this morning, I reflected on the way this "enlightening" verse shines new rays of understanding to this time of year.
Begin with Genesis. "God said, 'Let there be light and there was light." And that's just the first day. And it's NOT the sun. It's God's light. And from that time on, God "sows" His light seeds throughout His Creation and His creatures. From Adam on, God shines through His people. While some people are brighter than others, God is still on His throne and is shining through the people.
"The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them." (Isaiah 9:2) From the moment Adam disobeyed God in the garden, all humans since have walked in darkness. "But God being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrong doings, made us alive..."(Ephesians 2:4) God did not leave us in the darkness of that deadness. The Old Testament is filled with God's light "sown". And then, amazing upon amazing, in comes Jesus, the true Light. John, 1:9 says, "...the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man." And come He did. He came in the most unlikely place, to a most unlikely young girl. And even though she did not understand, the Scripture tells us, "she believed". (Luke 1:45) And Mary sang praises to God. (Luke 1:46-55)
"The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."( John 1:5) And the darkness continues to misunderstand God, Jesus and His followers. But we are not to grow weary and fade out. We must grow strong and shine His glory through His blessed Holy Spirit until the end. Verse four of John one, says: In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men." Zacharias, John the Baptist's father, filled with the Holy Spirit after John's birth, rejoices in God's sovereignty! (Luke 1:67-79) Read in it's entirety the ecstasy expressed by Zacharias over his special son, but I'll close with a portion that I hope entices you to seek it out for yourself: "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go on before the LORD to prepare His ways, to give to His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins. Because of the tender mercy of our God with which the SUNRISE from on high will visit us, to SHINE upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."
Jesus came and He will come again. Let us be sowing His Light until that day...
