Wednesday, May 31, 2006
2 Corinthians 4:4,6 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ . . . [God] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
ENLIGHTENED WITH HIS GIFTS
Last night my daughter was out in the back yard trying out her new bicycle. She hadn't used pedal toys much and she didn't quite understand how to make it go at first. But after a few minutes of instruction, "the light went on" in her head and she took right off. You've no doubt heard the expression, "The light went on." We say it when people have difficulty understanding something and then all of a sudden they "get it".
Now knowing how to ride a bike isn't life-critical knowledge -- but knowing God certainly is. Many in this age do not understand what God has done for them. They do not see Christ as the forgiver of sins and bestower of great blessing. They do not see that God is love with a gracious plan for their lives day after day. The spiritual light has not gone on in their heads.
So the Holy Spirit serves as the great Illuminator. He turns on the light! He gives understanding to the mind so that we and others can know and be confident of the things Jesus does for mankind. Forgiveness of sins, joy, peace, hope, comfort in suffering -- all these things we enjoy because the Spirit has enlightened us to see them. "God made His light to shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."
