Wednesday, August 22, 2012
John 8:12 "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
ALTAR CANDLES: JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
In most Christian churches candles are featured on the altar. When candles were first used in Christian worship they had a utilitarian purpose -- light to see by. However, from the beginning the thoughts of worshipers also naturally turned to Jesus' declaration that He is "The Light of the World." After all, as they lit the evening lamps in their homes, many had adopted the custom of speaking a thanksgiving prayer for God's gift of light in His eternal Son, Jesus.
The candles in our churches still remind us of Jesus' words in John 8. At the same time we need to remember that the opposite of light is not some kind of dim luminescence, but total darkness -- like in the depths of a cave where one actually cannot see a hand inches from one's face. And without Jesus, the Light of Life, the deep darkness we're talking about is spiritual darkness -- darkness of the soul.
How dark is spiritual darkness? So dark that sinful humans cannot see God who made us and the world we live in. As a result the wonders of creation are attributed to blind chance or gods conceived by the human imagination and rendered in stone, wood, and plaster.
How dark is spiritual darkness? So dark that sinful humans cannot see the way to God and they imagine that their tawdry and tainted works, their selfish version of goodness and love can make up for sin and secure the righteous God's favor.
Give thanks every day that "the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness ... has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6).
O Christ, our Light, upon us shine
Lest we to sin's dark ways incline.
